philip m. napoli director donald mcgannon communication research center fordham university new york,...
TRANSCRIPT
REVISITING THE CHURCH-STATE SEPARATION: A COMPARATIVE CONSIDERATION OF ADVERTISER PRESSURE ON TRADITIONAL AND ONLINE JOURNALISM
Philip M. Napoli
Director
Donald McGannon Communication Research Center
Fordham University
New York, NY
Media Policy Fellow
New America Foundation
Washington, DC
Rationale
Large body of research on the dynamics of advertiser pressures on traditional mediaDirect and indirect influences
Similar literature addressing online media has yet to developFocus has instead been on issues of economic
viability
Objectives
To highlight the need for more research To consider extent to which existing research on
traditional media can inform research on online contexts
To put forth some propositions about the dynamics of advertiser pressures on online journalism
To consider the dynamics of advertiser pressures in terms of the interactions and interdependencies between traditional and online journalism
Background: Journalism & Advertising
Journalism’s dependence on advertising began in late 19th century grew more pronounced over time
Traditional advertising support model undermined in 21st century
Long tradition of concern about ways in which pressures to attract advertising might affect journalistic output
Advertising’s Influence on Journalism
Some Key Findings:Emergence of “norm of objectivity”Decline in competition
○ “Circulation Spiral”Increasing emphasis on serving and attracting
desirable demographic segments○ Affects nature of news coverage
Creation of content to serve advertiser needsBlurring of line between advertising and editorial
Relevance to Online Journalism
IndirectExtension of traditional news outlets onlineInfluence of traditional news outlets on online
news outlets Direct
Extent to which economic and institutional dynamics of online news are comparable
Relevant Online News Dynamics
+/- De-Institutionalization of journalismBoth organizationally and procedurally?
+ More journalism being produced outside of commercial news organizations
- Lack of institutionalized “church-state” separation
+ Opportunities for greater variety and innovation in revenue models
- Consumer resistance to paying for online content
Relevant Online News Dynamics
Online news organizations smaller/less bureaucratic- Less able to resist advertiser pressures?
+ Less internal pressure to maximize profits? Long tail of audience attention and
advertising dollars
+/- Disproportionate clustering of advertising dollars around relatively few sources
Conclusion
Difficult to parse traditional from online journalismComplex ecosystem
○ Developments affecting online platform affect traditional platforms and vice versa
○ Effects of inter-platform competition for news audience and advertising dollars
Comparative analyses key to testing propositions put forth here
