Ajakirjaniku allikakasutus. Kolme juhtumi analüüs ajalehe Postimees näitel
Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Description
The aim of the present research is to investigate journalistic information processing
methods, explicitly the use of sources. The study contains three cases (three ordinary
working days of three journalist at the daily Postimees). The research is based on
triangulated methodology:
٠ Critical reading of journalists´ news texts including the comparison of edited
and journalists´ original (non-edited) news texts.
٠ The observation of journalists´ working day.
٠ Interviews with the observed journalists.
The aim of this study was to find out what kind of sources and how journalists use,
what type of sources and how influence the final content of news, and what are the
main factors that force journalists to one or another choice in use of sources. Another
aim of the study is to find out what kind of information this kind of combined method
gives about journalists´ information processing methods.
Speaking of journalistic use of sources it is important to know who sets the news
agenda – either journalist, who has direct vision of the problem that is being observed,
or the source, who is either influential, easy to reach, has gift of blarney or is giving
information routinely etc.
The study showed that when we want to get correct answers about journalistic use of
information, merely analyzing the news texts is not enough. It can give some basic
answers about journalists´ working methods, but the text doesn’t show where
journalist found the news, how many sources were actually used, how much collected
information and why didn’t get to the news etc. The main result of the study is that
journalists use different information processing methods.
It is also not correct to compare edited and non-edited news texts without asking the
journalists´ comments. Without doing that wrong conclusions could be made.
The materials of the observation of journalists´ working day are not merely transcripts
of journalists´ actions during one day. They also contain the transcripts of journalists´
interviews made with different sources. It enables to analyze journalists´
communication with sources and shows what are the subjects that sources tell about
(either on journalists´ or on their own initiative).
The study showed that the three journalists working methods are rather different.
Although, younger and less experienced journalists use less close listening and are
less efficient in focusing (they missed several new subjects that sources told them
about). The third journalist, who has years of experiences and who is working for now
as part-time journalist (having more time for collecting sources), was more thorough
and, having more time for preparing the article, used much more sources than the
other two.
One conclusion that could be made, is that the news agenda depended in these cases
more on the quality and novelty of the news than on eminence of the sources.
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General), bakalaureusetööd, meedia, trükiajakirjandus, uudised, ajakirjanikud, infoallikad, infootsing