Journalism as a Strategic Action Field: How to Study Contestations and Power Dynamics between Professional Journalism and Its Challengers
Peer reviewed, Journal article
Published version
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https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3097957Utgivelsesdato
2023Metadata
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Sammendrag
This paper argues the benefits of approaching the ongoing con-
tentions and power dynamics in journalism as a strategic action
field (JSAF). This meso-level, actor-centered analytical framework
offers insights into how contestations in journalism are decided by
the social skills of key stakeholders. JSAF distinguishes between
three types of social actors (incumbents, governance units, and
challengers), enables comprehension of their position and power,
and explains why some actors succeed and others do not in dif-
ferent political and cultural contexts. It expands the traditional
focus of incumbents in journalism studies by underlining the social
skills of often-neglected back players in journalism (e.g., governance
units such as associations, centers, and professional networks) and
by foregrounding the social skills of challengers. This enables us
to study challengers as strategic actors, investigating their motives,
ambitions, interactions, and communicative skills to mobilize sup-
port and alliances to improve insights into who and what is con-
testing journalism today. The need for a JSAF approach comes
from the increased contentions and conflicts between professional
journalism and various peripheral actors, exemplified by the power
dynamics between professional actors and alternative media.