Abstract

This article uses semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews with journalists at 16 US newspapers to examine how strategies for sharing news content and interacting with audiences on platforms have evolved over the past decade. Using a lens of Gatekeeping Theory, the study analyzes the approaches and techniques used by journalists to distribute content and engage with audiences on platforms—and how those approaches have changed since the beginning of the social media era. Its findings show journalists initially relied on traditional journalistic instincts and used somewhat haphazard approaches when sharing and interacting on platforms. Over time, the findings show, journalists’ approaches became more strategic—based much more on social media logics than just journalistic instinct, with heavy emphasis on algorithms and audience metrics. The study also provides evidence that, even as they have ceded some gatekeeping authority to platforms and adjusted to social media logics, journalists continue to defend traditional journalistic values of speed, objectivity and fairness. It also shows newspapers trying to regain some control over their content, through the implementation of paywalls and prioritization of their own websites. But, overall, the study offers evidence that US newspapers have embraced platforms in their institutional structures and editorial practices.

摘要

本文通过对 16 家美国报纸的记者进行半结构化、深入的定性采访，研究过去十年中在平台上分享新闻内容和与受众互动的策略是如何演变的。该研究使用守门理论的视角，分析了记者在平台上分发内容和与观众互动所使用的方法和技术，以及自社交媒体时代开始以来这些方法发生了怎样的变化。其调查结果表明，记者在平台上分享和互动时最初依赖于传统的新闻直觉，并使用了一些随意的方法。调查结果显示，随着时间的推移，记者的方法变得更具战略性——更多地基于社交媒体逻辑，而不仅仅是新闻本能，并且非常重视算法和受众指标。该研究还提供证据表明，即使他们将一些把关权让给了平台并适应了社交媒体逻辑，记者们仍在继续捍卫速度、客观性和公平性等传统新闻价值观。它还显示报纸试图通过实施付费墙和优先处理自己的网站来重新获得对其内容的一些控制。但是，总的来说，该研究提供的证据表明，美国报纸已经在其制度结构和编辑实践中采用了平台。通过实施付费墙和对自己的网站进行优先排序。但是，总的来说，该研究提供的证据表明，美国报纸已经在其制度结构和编辑实践中采用了平台。通过实施付费墙和对自己的网站进行优先排序。但是，总的来说，该研究提供的证据表明，美国报纸已经在其制度结构和编辑实践中采用了平台。