1. Examining Effects of Levels of
Interactivity on Journalistic Public
Service in 21st Century Newsrooms
By Jennifer Brannock Cox
University of Florida

2. Objectives
 Study genesis
 Describe the problem
 Justification of the study
 Methodological approach
 Future research agenda

3. Exploratory Study
 Conducted Fall 2009
 A conversation with journalists
 Discussion of ethical perspectives in light of changing
newsroom climates
 Differences between online-focused and print-focused
organizations
 4 organizations; 10 reporters and editors

4. Exploratory Study
Topics articulated:
 Advertising conflicts of interest
 Brick wall is weakening in both
 Some advertising content creeping into product
 More advertising involvement in editorial process
 Conflicts of interest – advertising
 Traditional – upset but quiet
 Online – optimistic about involving process

5. Exploratory Study
Topics articulated:
 Accuracy
 Both agree accuracy sometimes sacrificed for speed
 Fewer editors overseeing copy
 Online practices – Accuracy
 Traditional – less editing, troubling
 Online – mistakes are easily corrected
 Online – feel more of a burden for accuracy due
to lack of oversight

6. Exploratory Study
Topics articulated:
 Content
 More salacious material given higher prominence
 “The standards are different.”
 Online practices – Content
 Traditional – filling the page
 Online – contributing to archived legacy

7. Exploratory Study
Topics articulated:
 Communication and ethics
 Both – adhere to “traditional newspaper ethics”
 Online – no written policies; Traditional – more defined
 Online – understood & reactionary; Traditional – e-mail,
contracts

8. Exploratory Study
Topics articulated:
 Online vs. traditional attitudes
 Traditional – unmoving; rules are rules
 Online – excited about developing “as we go”
 Confusion at times over violation penalties
 Perceived differences
 Traditional vs. online: many imagined differences
 Traditional: outdated
 Online: unethical and less committed to
accuracy

9. Statement of the Problem
Audiences shifting online – challenges & opportunities
Challenges:
 Changing business model
 Long-term goals -------> Short-term goals
 Changing news motives
 Changing news definitions

10. Statement of the Problem
Audiences shifting online – challenges & opportunities
Opportunities:
 Changing audience relationships
 Independence -------> Interactivity
 Changing audience expectations
 Changing definitions of journalism roles

11. Purpose:
Broad:
To determine how the public service
norms of journalists, and
consequently the definition of news,
are changing as newspaper
journalism shifts online.
Specific:
To determine how varying levels of
interactivity practiced in newsrooms
affects journalists’ definitions of their
public service goals.

12. Why Public Service?
 Public service guides the definition and practice of
news
 News is produced & shaped by journalists
 Journalists are influenced by news organizations
 News organizations guide journalistic values
 Journalists justify their actions and define themselves
through public service commitment

13. Evolving Norms
Objectivity
Independence
Truth-telling
Transparency
Fostering Participation
Immediacy

14. Levels of Interactivity
 Three levels examined:
 Participation – in the development of a story
 Collaboration – brainstorming with audience
 Contribution – of materials (text, pictures, video, etc.)
 Three levels of variance:
 High
 Medium
 Low

15. Responsibilities
 Will journalists in newsrooms differ in their perspectives
regarding public service based on their differing
responsibilities?
 Online-focused responsibilities
more multimedia, less thorough text
 Print-focused responsibilities
more thorough text, filling two products

16. Online- & Print-Focused
Newsrooms
 Both doing more with less
 Both using new technology to drive page views
 Both moving toward business models prizing page
views over subscriptions
 Difference may be in attitude

17. Theoretical Suppositions
 Various levels of interactivity may result in varying
perspectives regarding public service
 Varying responsibilities may result in varying
perspectives regarding public service
 Print- and online-focused newsrooms may differ in their
embrace of public service norms based on managerial
or individual values

18. Methodological Approach
 Qualitative study
 Public service has neither been defined nor examined;
particularly with regard to online media
 Previous studies are normative
 Need to present a fully-detailed view of topic
 In-depth interviews with journalists in 4-5 news
organizations
 4-5 journalists at all levels (20-25 total)

19. Future Research Agenda
 Develop a quantitative questionnaire to test substantive
theory
 Look for prioritizations of norms based on newsroom type
 Case studies of news organizations mid-transition
 Plans to publish in peer-reviewed journals and professional
publications
 Collaboration with colleagues regarding specific norms

20. Questions?