This document outlines a study examining how varying levels of interactivity in online newsrooms affects journalists' definitions of their public service goals. The study will conduct qualitative interviews with journalists from print-focused and online-focused news organizations to determine if their perspectives on public service norms like objectivity and transparency differ based on their responsibilities and newsroom approach. The researcher hypothesizes that higher levels of interactivity and an online newsroom focus may result in varying views of public service compared to print-focused journalists. Future work includes developing a survey and case studies to further test how shifting to digital media is changing journalists' definitions of their roles and norms.

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?