AMANI CHANNEL, MA

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

AEJMC, DENVER 2010

Gatekeeping and Citizen Journalism:A Qualitative Examination of Participatory Newsgathering

Introduction

Gatekeeping is a longstanding Mass Communications theory (White, 1950).

A select few decision makers control what information passes through the editorial news gates.

Subjective process that is also influenced by organizational standards, economic constraints, technology, and visual elements (broadcast news).

Research suggests that traditional gatekeeping is being challenged by digital/new media.

Background

Internet, technology, & user-generated content (citizen journalism) has been disruptive to traditional media (Bruns, 2008).

Scholars suggest that we are witnessing an end of mass communications (Chaffee & Mertzger, 2001).

“Future journalists will need to be trained to not only be critical gatekeepers, but also act as listeners, discussion and forum leaders/mediators in an intimate interaction with their audiences” (Nguyen, 2006).

Scholars suggest that a communications paradigm shift is underway (Bruns, 2006; Jenkins, 2006).

Research Holes

Beard & Olsen, 1999 - Identify holes related to gatekeeping and the Internet. Qualitative study examined Webmasters as gatekeepers.

Boczkowski, 2004 - Identifies holes related to how technology is affecting news production.

Bruns, (2008) “Lack of established research tools and methodologies… because of a limited understanding of how we may define citizen journalism itself.”

Current Study

Examines Gatekeeping Theory (White, 1950) and user-generated content (citizen journalism).

Research Question: How is gatekeeping affected by participatory media in a network news organization?

Methodology: Qualitative study involving in depth interviews of CNN’s iReport producers (Beard & Olson, 1999).

Qualitative Research & Questions

Reason for a qualitative study: Subject matter doesn’t have “firm guidelines or specific procedures and is evolving and changing constantly” (Cresswell 1998 p.27).

RQ1: How is technology used to gather user-generated media, and what procedures are in place to solicit it?

RQ2: How is content shared across the web and cable network?

RQ3: What criteria are used to determine if user generated media meets established news standards?

Findings

RQ1. Technology and the Web is used to solicit and gather user-generated content.

The community is used to gather potentially newsworthy (credible) stories.

A community based model (members can upload photos and video). Algorithm helps locate popular content.

CNN’s iReport team creates assignments.Generally hard news (breaking), human

interest stories, and enterprise journalism are most commonly featured.

Findings

RQ2. Potentially newsworthy stories are pitched/shared with CNN TV and Web producers.

Editorial meetingDaily e-mailAny CNN producer can use vetted iReports.TV and Web producers make the final

decision if an iReport will be used.

Findings

RQ3 – An established vetting process is applied to all iReports (iReporters are interviewed about submissions).

Content must meet same rigorous standards as traditional content (verified twice).

Content appears to fall within the news agenda of national coverage.

Examples of iReports (breaking) that have aired: VA Tech Massacre, Obama inauguration ticket problems, Iran election crisis.

Conclusion

Multiple “Gates” - Online community, algorithm, iReport producers (vet/pitch), iReport TV/Web producers (final decision).

It appears to be participatory gatekeeping (technological, community, iReport unit, CNN producers.

Limitations: No CNN producers participated.Future research:

Apply gatewatching to citizen journalism Is iReport becoming a trusted news brand?

Any similarities between the way CNN and other local or national news orgs. select and vet USG.

Questions?

Thank You!

Amani Channelamani.channel@gmail.com

Twitter @urbanreporter