Managing the newsroom: Perceptions of influence and control among Swedish newspaper professionals

• DOI: 10.1386/ajms.5.3.465_1
• Publication Date: 2016-10-15T10:24:12Z
• Authors: Jenny Wiik; Ulrika Andersson
• Keywords: 0508 media and communications; 05 social sciences

Abstract Journalistic organizations are currently undergoing rapid change. One striking feature of this transformation is the increased influence of managerial discourse in the newsroom. Editorial leadership is proving to be more professionalized, standardized and accentuated than before, which could affect journalistic autonomy and status. In this article we investigate the shifting power balance in news production by focusing on the management–staff relationship in Swedish newspapers and discussing the possible consequences of this development for the professional autonomy of journalists. Empirical support is drawn from two national surveys and a small interview study of Swedish newspaper journalists. The results indicate a move towards managerial dominance in the newsroom during the last decade, but also that journalists to some extent seem to approve of this development. Even so, the results may be another indication of a de-professionalization of journalists to the benefit of the managerial group in the news business.