1. DIGITAL DIVISIONS:
ORGANIZATIONAL GATEKEEPING
PRACTICES IN THE CONTEXT OF
ONLINE NEWS
Josh Scacco, PhD @joshscacco
Purdue University
Alex Curry @tweetcurry
University ofTexas atAustin
Talia Stroud, PhD @taliastroud
University ofTexas atAustin

2. ENGAGING NEWS PROJECT
To provide research-based techniques for
engaging online audiences in commercially
viable and democratically beneficial ways.
@joshscacco @tweetcurry
@engagingnews

3. NEWS ENGAGEMENT
WORKSHOPS
@joshscacco @tweetcurry

4. APPROACH
“I fear the homogeneity hypothesis is too often treated
as a matter of faith rather than a starting point for
empirical analysis.” (Cook, 2006, p. 164)
Gatekeeping: the winnowing of information to the
select group of items that make up the news. (White,
1950)
@joshscacco @tweetcurry
Hierarchical Influences Model (Shoemaker & Reese, 2014; Shoemaker
&Vos, 2009)

6. RESULTS: RESOURCES
Internal
External
Other news organizations and the public
Allocation and newsroom structure

7. RESULTS: SOCIALIZATION
Internal
External
Public norms of engagement
Newsroom personnel

8. CONCLUSION
 News has fragmented, partly based on organizational
divergences.
 Organizations have developed different socializing
philosophies built within the structures of available
resources.
 Differences in organizational-level practices give
variety to the perspectives, packaging, and
dissemination of the news.

9. FOLLOW US!
@engagingnews
/engagingnewsproject
www.engagingnewsproject.org