1. Philip M. Napoli
Director
Donald McGannon Communication Research Center
Fordham University
New York, NY
Media Policy Fellow
New America Foundation
Washington, DC
2. Rationale
Large body of research on the dynamics of
advertiser pressures on traditional media
Direct and indirect influences
Similar literature addressing online media
has yet to develop
Focus has instead been on issues of economic
viability
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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 needs
Blurring of line between advertising and editorial
6. Relevance to Online Journalism
Indirect
Extension of traditional news outlets online
Influence of traditional news outlets on online
news outlets
Direct
Extent to which economic and institutional
dynamics of online news are comparable
7. Relevant Online News Dynamics
+/- De-Institutionalization of journalism
Both 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
8. 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
9. Conclusion
Difficult to parse traditional from online
journalism
Complex 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
