Abstract
Journalistic role perceptions have been extensively studied in general contexts, but little is known as to how roles – or role prioritization – may shift across contexts, and professional characteristics. The aim of this study was gaining an understanding of journalists’ changing role perceptions in health crisis coverage, and moreover to examine potential differences between general and specialist reporters. We conducted 22 in-depth interviews with reporters with experience in health crisis reporting in Germany and Finland. Findings suggest that journalists’ roles shift when covering health crises (versus non-crises), towards a role as public mobilizers, towards classifying risks and from a watchdog to a more co-operative role. Furthermore, professional characteristics matter in journalists’ understanding and performance of their roles. Specialist reporters appear better equipped to deal with the challenges of health crisis coverage, such as balancing remaining critical with co-operation with authorities in their efforts to contain crises. Specialist reporters are also less likely to get swayed by the panic often accompanying health crises than general reporters are.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1223-1241 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | Journalism |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Crisis coverage
- epidemic
- expert interview
- health emergency
- health journalism
- public health
- role perceptions
Cite this
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Changed priorities ahead : journalists’ shifting role perceptions when covering public health crises. / Klemm, Celine; Das, Enny; Hartmann, Tilo.
In: Journalism, Vol. 20, No. 9, 01.09.2019, p. 1223-1241.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Changed priorities ahead
T2 - journalists’ shifting role perceptions when covering public health crises
AU - Klemm, Celine
AU - Das, Enny
AU - Hartmann, Tilo
PY - 2019/9/1
Y1 - 2019/9/1
N2 - Journalistic role perceptions have been extensively studied in general contexts, but little is known as to how roles – or role prioritization – may shift across contexts, and professional characteristics. The aim of this study was gaining an understanding of journalists’ changing role perceptions in health crisis coverage, and moreover to examine potential differences between general and specialist reporters. We conducted 22 in-depth interviews with reporters with experience in health crisis reporting in Germany and Finland. Findings suggest that journalists’ roles shift when covering health crises (versus non-crises), towards a role as public mobilizers, towards classifying risks and from a watchdog to a more co-operative role. Furthermore, professional characteristics matter in journalists’ understanding and performance of their roles. Specialist reporters appear better equipped to deal with the challenges of health crisis coverage, such as balancing remaining critical with co-operation with authorities in their efforts to contain crises. Specialist reporters are also less likely to get swayed by the panic often accompanying health crises than general reporters are.
AB - Journalistic role perceptions have been extensively studied in general contexts, but little is known as to how roles – or role prioritization – may shift across contexts, and professional characteristics. The aim of this study was gaining an understanding of journalists’ changing role perceptions in health crisis coverage, and moreover to examine potential differences between general and specialist reporters. We conducted 22 in-depth interviews with reporters with experience in health crisis reporting in Germany and Finland. Findings suggest that journalists’ roles shift when covering health crises (versus non-crises), towards a role as public mobilizers, towards classifying risks and from a watchdog to a more co-operative role. Furthermore, professional characteristics matter in journalists’ understanding and performance of their roles. Specialist reporters appear better equipped to deal with the challenges of health crisis coverage, such as balancing remaining critical with co-operation with authorities in their efforts to contain crises. Specialist reporters are also less likely to get swayed by the panic often accompanying health crises than general reporters are.
KW - Crisis coverage
KW - epidemic
KW - expert interview
KW - health emergency
KW - health journalism
KW - public health
KW - role perceptions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046733516&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1464884917692820
DO - 10.1177/1464884917692820
M3 - Article
VL - 20
SP - 1223
EP - 1241
JO - Journalism
JF - Journalism
SN - 1464-8849
IS - 9
ER -