Fuzzy, Transparent, and Fast: Journalists and Public Relations Practitioners Characterize their Connections and Interactions in Social Media
Keywords:
Facebook, Twitter, social networking sites, social media, journalism ethics, public relations ethicsAbstract
This mixed-methods study, based on a survey including open-ended responses from 167 journalists and public relations practitioners, examines views on social media interactions between these professionals. Grounded in journalism ethics and news production research, the study examines how professionals navigate rapidly changing social media. Results show journalists and PR practitioners see themselves as working in the same digital space. Journalists and PR professionals responded that it was ethical to become social media “friends” and followers with each other. Still, these relationships are evolving.
References
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Avery, E., Lariscy, R., Amador, E., Ickowitz, T., Primm, C., & Taylor, A. (2010). Diffusion of social media among public relations practitioners in health departments across various community population sizes. Journal of Public Relations Research 22(3), 336-358.
Avery, E., Lariscy, R., & Sweetser, K. D. (2010). Social media and shared—or divergent--uses? A coorientation analysis of public relations practitioners and journalists. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 4(3), 189-205.
Baran, S.J., and Davis, D.K. (2012). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future, Sixth Edition. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
boyd, d., Golder, S., & Lotan, G. (2010, January). Tweet, tweet, retweet: Conversational aspects of retweeting on twitter. In System Sciences (HICSS), 2010 43rd Hawaii International Conference on (pp. 1-10). IEEE.
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Clayfield, M. (2012). Tweet the press. Metro, (171), 92-97.
Detroit Free Press. (2005). Detroit Free Press Ethics Policy. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://www.freep.com/article/99999999/MISC/50926003/Free-Press-ethics-policy
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Gannett Company Newspapers. (2012). Gannett Newspaper Division Ethics Policy. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://www.gannett.com/assets/pdf/5Z185795227.PDF
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Lariscy, R.W., Avery, E.J., Sweester, K.D., and Howes, P. (2009). An examination of the role of online social media in journalists’ source mix. Public Relations Review 35(3), 314-316.
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Mendoza, S. (2008, October/November). To friend or not to friend? American Journalism Review, 30(5), 12-13.
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National Public Radio. (2010). NPR Guiding Principles. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://ethics.npr.org/category/a-preamble/.
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ProPublica. (2008). ProPublica Code of Ethics. Retrieved November 24, 2012 from http://www.propublica.org/about/code-of-ethics.
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Sonderman, J. (2011 November 8). The problem with retweets & how journalists can solve it. Retrieved November 21, 2012 from http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/media-lab/social-media/152448/the-problem-with-retweets-how-journalists-can-solve-it/.
Stewart, D. R. (2011, August). Social media policies for professional communicators. Paper presented at AEJMC Annual Conference, Communications Technology Division. St. Louis, MO. Available at: http://works.bepress.com/daxton_stewart/2.
Stewart, D. R. (2013). Social media and the law: A guidebook for communication students and professionals. New York: Routledge.
Tallapragada, M., Misaras, I.C., Burke, K., & Waters, R. (2012). Identifying the best practices of media catching: A national survey of media relations practitioners. Public Relations Review 38, 926-931.
Waters, R. D., Tindall, N. T. J., & Morton, T. S. (2010). Media catching and the journalist-public relations practitioner relationship: How social media are changing the practice of media relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 22(3), 241-264.
Wigley, S., & Zhang, W. (2011). A study of PR practitioner’s use of social media in crisis planning. Public Relations Journal 5(3), 1-16.
Avery, E., Lariscy, R., Amador, E., Ickowitz, T., Primm, C., & Taylor, A. (2010). Diffusion of social media among public relations practitioners in health departments across various community population sizes. Journal of Public Relations Research 22(3), 336-358.
Avery, E., Lariscy, R., & Sweetser, K. D. (2010). Social media and shared—or divergent--uses? A coorientation analysis of public relations practitioners and journalists. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 4(3), 189-205.
Baran, S.J., and Davis, D.K. (2012). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future, Sixth Edition. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
boyd, d., Golder, S., & Lotan, G. (2010, January). Tweet, tweet, retweet: Conversational aspects of retweeting on twitter. In System Sciences (HICSS), 2010 43rd Hawaii International Conference on (pp. 1-10). IEEE.
Briggs, M. (2010). Journalism Next. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
Briggs, M. (2008). The end of journalism as usual. Nieman Reports, 62(4), 40-41.
Buttry, S. (2012). Ethical Responsibilities. In A.Chimbel, Introduction to Journalism (pp. 93-101). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Clayfield, M. (2012). Tweet the press. Metro, (171), 92-97.
Detroit Free Press. (2005). Detroit Free Press Ethics Policy. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://www.freep.com/article/99999999/MISC/50926003/Free-Press-ethics-policy
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. (2008). Star-Telegram Newsroom Code of Ethics. Retrieved November 24, 2012 from http://www.star-telegram.com/2007/12/30/383361/star-telegram-newsroom-code-of.html
Gannett Company Newspapers. (2012). Gannett Newspaper Division Ethics Policy. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://www.gannett.com/assets/pdf/5Z185795227.PDF
Gitlin, T. (1980). The Whole World is Watching: Mass Media in the Making & Unmaking of the New Left. Berkeley, California: University of California Press.
Jarvis, J. (2009). What would Google do? New York, NY: Collins Business.
Lariscy, R.W., Avery, E.J., Sweester, K.D., and Howes, P. (2009). An examination of the role of online social media in journalists’ source mix. Public Relations Review 35(3), 314-316.
Los Angeles Times. (2005). Los Angeles Times Ethics Guidelines. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-0705lat_ethics_code-pdf,0,7257671.acrobat.
Mendoza, S. (2008, October/November). To friend or not to friend? American Journalism Review, 30(5), 12-13.
Mitchell, A., Rosenstiel, T., and Christian, L. (2012). Mobile devices and news consumption: Some good signs for journalism. The Pew Center for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012 from: http://stateofthemedia.org/2012/mobile-devices-and-news-consumption-some-good-signs-for-journalism/.
National Public Radio. (2010). NPR Guiding Principles. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://ethics.npr.org/category/a-preamble/.
The New York Times Company. (2005). The New York Times Company Policy on Ethics in Journalism. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://www.nytco.com/company-properties-times-coe.html.
Olmstead, K., Sasseen, J., Mitchell, A., and Rosenstiel, T. (2012). Digital: News gains audience but loses ground in chase for revenue. The Pew Center for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012 from: http://stateofthemedia.org/2012/digital-news-gains-audience-but-loses-more-ground-in-chase-for-revenue/.
Overholser, G. (2009). What is journalism’s place in social media? Nieman Reports, 63(3), 5-6.
ProPublica. (2008). ProPublica Code of Ethics. Retrieved November 24, 2012 from http://www.propublica.org/about/code-of-ethics.
Rosen, J. (2009 January 12). Audience atomization overcome: Why the Internet weakens the authority of the press. PressThink blog. Retrieved February 9, 2013 from http://archive.pressthink.org/2009/01/12/atomization.html.
Shoemaker, P.J., & Reese, S.D. (1996). Mediating the Message: Theories of Influence on Mass Media Content, Second Edition. White Plains, N.Y.: Longman Publishers USA.
Silverman, C. (2012 January 8). A year, later, false reports of Rep. Giffords death still reverberate for the press. Poynter. Retrieved November 21, 2012 from http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/regret-the-error/158541/a-year-later-false-reports-of-rep-giffords-death-still-reverberate-for-the-press/.
Sonderman, J. (2012 June 28). CNN, Fox News err in covering Supreme Court health care ruling. Poynter. Retrieved November 21, 2012 from http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/179144/how-journalists-are-covering-todays-scotus-health-care-ruling/.
Sonderman, J. (2011 September 14). New Subscribe button lets journalists use Facebook like Twitter. Retrieved February 18, 2013 from http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/145965/new-subscribe-button-lets-journalists-use-facebook-like-twitter/
Sonderman, J. (2011 November 8). The problem with retweets & how journalists can solve it. Retrieved November 21, 2012 from http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/media-lab/social-media/152448/the-problem-with-retweets-how-journalists-can-solve-it/.
Stewart, D. R. (2011, August). Social media policies for professional communicators. Paper presented at AEJMC Annual Conference, Communications Technology Division. St. Louis, MO. Available at: http://works.bepress.com/daxton_stewart/2.
Stewart, D. R. (2013). Social media and the law: A guidebook for communication students and professionals. New York: Routledge.
Tallapragada, M., Misaras, I.C., Burke, K., & Waters, R. (2012). Identifying the best practices of media catching: A national survey of media relations practitioners. Public Relations Review 38, 926-931.
Waters, R. D., Tindall, N. T. J., & Morton, T. S. (2010). Media catching and the journalist-public relations practitioner relationship: How social media are changing the practice of media relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 22(3), 241-264.
Wigley, S., & Zhang, W. (2011). A study of PR practitioner’s use of social media in crisis planning. Public Relations Journal 5(3), 1-16.
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2014-06-24
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