Table of contents
The long and short of it Editorial
How long should an editorial be? What amount of text is reasonable? At what point do you, dear reader, get…
Papers
Journalism aggregators: an analysis of Longform.org How journalism aggregators act as site of datafication and curatorial work
by Marco Braghieri, Tobias Blanke and Jonathan Gray / What is the role and significance of digital long-form content aggregators in contemporary journalism? This article contends that they are an important, emerging object of study in journalism research and provides a digital methods analysis and theoretical engagement with Longform.org, one of the most prominent long-form content aggregators on the web.
When Newspeople get Constructive An editorial study on implementing Constructive Reporting at Verlagsgruppe Rhein Main
by Marc-Christian Ollrog, Megan Hanisch and Amelie Rook / Constructive Journalism is in vogue right now. In addition to specially created formats, such as Perspective Daily, more and more traditional media are also adopting this new reporting model. In 2019, the editors-in-chief of the newspapers of the publishing group Rhein Main (VRM) launched the »Project Future«, which was to subscribe to the goals and methods of »Constructive Journalism«.
How true is media reporting? Of bad practices and ignorance in public communication
by Hans Peter Bull / There is no such thing as unquestioned truth, yet political journalism is committed to truthfulness. This article identifies typical bad practices and blind spots that cause journalism to fail this commitment.
Essay
France’s very own Murdoch Money, media, and campaigning
by Valérie Robert / In recent years, France has not only seen an upheaval of its party system, but also changes in its media landscape. The influence of large corporations and entrepreneurs might endanger internal freedom of the press and reinforce a political shift towards the right. This article analyses current developments on the French media market as the election campaign gets underway, with a particular focus on the conglomerate TF1 and billionaire Vincent Bolloré.
Debate
Inspire, enlighten, disagree Ten ways to ensure strong journalism in a digital media world
by Oliver Günther and Tanjev Schultz / Digitalization is transforming journalistic processes and ways of working. The sector must resist being subjected to the logic of markets and products. Reflecting on the standards and objectives of journalism is vital. In ten propositions, this paper outlines the tension between journalistic autonomy and technological change, calling for confident journalism that trusts both editorial offices and the audience to play a more proactive role.
Reviews
Michael Haller (2020): Die Reportage: Theorie und Praxis des Erzähljournalismus. [Reportage: Theory and practice of storytelling journalism. 7th edition, completely revised]
Reviewed by Steven Thomsen / It is more than 30 years since the spirit of this book began its long journey through the institutions. Men and women in print journalism, who were given a copy of Michael Haller’s Die Reportage during their own degree or apprenticeship, are themselves now teaching and researching, leading departments and editorial offices, guiding trainees, or giving advanced training to deskmen and reporters.
Claudia Mast, Georg Spachmann, Katharina Georg (2019): »Den Mächtigen auf die Finger schauen«. Zur Zukunft gedruckter Tageszeitungen in der Region. [»Keeping a close eye on the powerful.« On the future of printed daily newspapers in the region.]
Reviewed by Silke Fürst / Having paid little attention to local journalism in the past, journalism research is now taking much more of an interest in the field. This is linked both to the vital role local journalism plays and to the challenges presented by digitalization and the competition for attention and advertising revenue. Even today, local journalism, and the local press in particular, is extremely important not just to many users, but also to community life in villages and towns, as well as ensuring a diversity of information within the media system as a whole.
Mandy Tröger (2019): Pressefrühling und Profit. Wie westdeutsche Verlage 1989/1990 den Osten eroberten. [Press spring and profit. How West German publishing houses conquered the East in 1989/1990]
Reviewed by Hans-Dieter Kübler / The fact that the political reunification of the two German states on October 3, 1990 was preceded by economic annexation or infiltration in the form of fusions, joint ventures, pricing policy, and confidential agreements with the financially strong West is sufficiently known and has been the subject of a great deal of research. The author of this book argues that one particularly symptomatic and momentous example – as a paradigmatic conflict between the market interests of large-scale journalism and small publishing houses on the one hand and alternative reform concepts and noble democratic ideals of press freedom on the other – is the aggressive annexation and restructuring of the GDR press market using West Germany as a template.
Florian Wintterlin: Quelle: Internet. Journalistisches Vertrauen bei der Recherche in sozialen Medien. [Source: Internet. Journalistic trust when researching on social media.]
Reviewed by Guido Keel / The internet has become a core research instrument for journalists over the last fifteen years. To start with, many questions were asked about how this new information medium should be handled in journalism. But online research is now so ubiquitous and online communication has become so institutionalized in connection with public organizations and actors, that such questions are of little interest.