Reading the Signs of Transparency in Journalism
Published on Nov 18, 2015
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Reading the Signs of Transparency in JOurnalism
An interactive model
this is an attempt to explain why transparency in journalism as a praxis appears limited or managed
Photo by Joshua Daniel O.
transparency norm in Journalism
- technology a trigger
- immediacy and interactivity in publication (Karlsson 2011)
- updates & changes online - news production process visible
- challenges norms of truth-telling
- ➦ possible loss of authoritative voice (Broersma 2013)
technological advances changed production process
Karlsson shows that online platforms are connected to a quicker turn around in publishing content
Stories sometimes change in a matter of hours or minutes
production process becomes visible because of changes
challenging norms of truthtelling and possibly undermining journalistic authority
Karlsson shows that online platforms are connected to a quicker turn around in publishing content
Stories sometimes change in a matter of hours or minutes
production process becomes visible because of changes
challenging norms of truthtelling and possibly undermining journalistic authority
Photo by Free Press Pics
transparency norm in Journalism
- need for a norm to account for changes in journalism
- transparency as journalistic norm provides legitimacy
- guideline for professional and institutional behavior
- transparency norm = social response
- ➦ to changes in technology
changes in practice need to be justified
a norm can rationally can explain changes and account for new practices
a norm also garners legitimacy and strengthens claims of professionalism
- guide for institutional and professional behavior for insiders and outsiders
transparency norm may be understood as a social explanation/ justification or response to changes in technology
a norm can rationally can explain changes and account for new practices
a norm also garners legitimacy and strengthens claims of professionalism
- guide for institutional and professional behavior for insiders and outsiders
transparency norm may be understood as a social explanation/ justification or response to changes in technology
Photo by raindog
Presentation of Self
- frontstage vs backstage
- front ➡︎ idealistic presentation of self
- in accordance with expectations of social role
- journalists exhibit values to fulfill social role
- transparency as norm = ideal shown frontstage
2 theoretical approaches - micro and macro - Presentation of self and institutional myth
micro level - Goffman's dramaturgical concept of front and backstage utilized by several scholars to explain transparency in journalism
see: Karlsson, Meyrowitz, Chadha & Koliska
- devision of front and backstage
- frontstage the publicly visible
presentations of the ideal of a social role claimed in a given interaction situation
- role values that are shared with the possible audiences
to be recognized as a professional journalist one would need to exhibit these values on the frontstage
micro level - Goffman's dramaturgical concept of front and backstage utilized by several scholars to explain transparency in journalism
see: Karlsson, Meyrowitz, Chadha & Koliska
- devision of front and backstage
- frontstage the publicly visible
presentations of the ideal of a social role claimed in a given interaction situation
- role values that are shared with the possible audiences
to be recognized as a professional journalist one would need to exhibit these values on the frontstage
Photo by miss mass
Presentation of Self
- backstage
- area where frontstage presentation is planned
- normally not seen or presented to others
backstage is the area where the frontstage is planned or managed even adjusted to meet audience expectations
backstage is normally invisible to outsiders
it is like the dirty workbench that stays in the dark what people or used to see is the finished product
peek into the backstage can then be understood as transparency
interaction and immediacy in publishing allowed just for that look behind the curtain
backstage is normally invisible to outsiders
it is like the dirty workbench that stays in the dark what people or used to see is the finished product
peek into the backstage can then be understood as transparency
interaction and immediacy in publishing allowed just for that look behind the curtain
Photo by clickykbd
The Institutional Self
- institutional myth vs institutional praxis
- institutions often gain legitimacy through institutional myth
- i.e. public presentation of values, norms and behaviors
- institutional myth is an ideal - necessary for institutional survival
- myth is decoupled from practices
macro level
simply put institutional myth is what we know as outsiders about various institutions
it is a display of norms, values and behaviors
through which institutions claim legitimacy within the public
as such institutional myths are necessary for the survival of an institutions and also to be accepted publicly
neo institutional scholars point out that the myth is often decoupled from practices
similar as the front stage is decoupled from the backstage
simply put institutional myth is what we know as outsiders about various institutions
it is a display of norms, values and behaviors
through which institutions claim legitimacy within the public
as such institutional myths are necessary for the survival of an institutions and also to be accepted publicly
neo institutional scholars point out that the myth is often decoupled from practices
similar as the front stage is decoupled from the backstage
Photo by Dylan Passmore
The Institutional Self
- decoupling myth and praxis for outside stakeholders
- display of unexpected practices may withdraw support
- rational institutions display myths to depict institutional rules
- rational means to achieve desirable ends (Meyer & Rowan, 1977)
- ➥ idealistic presentation
decoupling is mainly to satisfy outside stakeholders expectations that are based on the norms and values an institutions exhibits
the display of unexpected practices or possibly even violations of norms may end up in the withdrawal of support possibly lack of trust or decline in credibility
in order to prevent that institutions use the myth to depict institutional rules which are basically rational explanations of behavior
by appearing rational and/or idealistic it is possible for institutions to achieve desirable ends - such as gaining support among public stakeholders
the display of unexpected practices or possibly even violations of norms may end up in the withdrawal of support possibly lack of trust or decline in credibility
in order to prevent that institutions use the myth to depict institutional rules which are basically rational explanations of behavior
by appearing rational and/or idealistic it is possible for institutions to achieve desirable ends - such as gaining support among public stakeholders
Photo by tim ellis
Impression Management
- presentation of self - frontstage
- institutional myth
- both forms of impression management
- garner public approval and legitimacy
- ➥ i.e. harness positive ends
both approaches - micro and macro level
can be understood as impression management
both frontstage and institutional myth highlight idealistic values to garner approval and legitimacy
this is achieved by decoupling practices from the myth or the frontstage from the backstage
can be understood as impression management
both frontstage and institutional myth highlight idealistic values to garner approval and legitimacy
this is achieved by decoupling practices from the myth or the frontstage from the backstage
Photo by MeckiMac
model of Transparency
what happened in journalism thus is maybe like this very crude model shows
because of changes in technology more is visible which also means that whatever is visible now is part of the frontstage and/ or institutional myth
actually one would also need to consider that the backstage in fact has also become bigger because more practices have been added to journalism
not all of those are visible
because of changes in technology more is visible which also means that whatever is visible now is part of the frontstage and/ or institutional myth
actually one would also need to consider that the backstage in fact has also become bigger because more practices have been added to journalism
not all of those are visible
limitations of Transparency norm
- transparency norm differs from practice of transparency
- it becomes part of frontstage or myth
- ➥ both disconnected from backstage/ practices
- visible are publicly acceptable forms of transparency
- otherwise loss of institutional legitimacy
why limitations of a transparency norm?
as I tried to show there is a difference of transparency as a norm and the actual practice of being transparent.
the norm is equal to the ideal and part of the frontstage or institutional myth which is used to garner legitimacy based on expected and authentic behavior
that means authentic to fulfilling a claimed social role i.e. being professional journalists
transgressions of the expected behavior can result in loss of legitimacy
as I tried to show there is a difference of transparency as a norm and the actual practice of being transparent.
the norm is equal to the ideal and part of the frontstage or institutional myth which is used to garner legitimacy based on expected and authentic behavior
that means authentic to fulfilling a claimed social role i.e. being professional journalists
transgressions of the expected behavior can result in loss of legitimacy
Photo by khalid almasoud
limitations of Transparency norm
- as norm transparency advances to an ideal
- it becomes part of frontstage or myth
- which are both disconnected from backstage
- publicly acceptable forms of transparency possible
- otherwise lose of legitimacy
Photo by khalid almasoud
limitations of Transparency norm
- mechanics of impression management
- ➥ limits the presentation of "self" to the ideal
- transparency as a norm = catch 22
- disclosure limited to socially acceptable
- ➥ because norms foster legitimacy
in other words, we argue, that the mechanics of impression management will limit what will be visible or transparent and what not
in many ways transparency can be understood as a catch 22 situation
wanting to be transparent will actually limit how much one can show from the backstage without upsetting outside stakeholders and damaging the "self" or institution.
While at the same time many news organizations embrace transparency in order to be more accountable and hopefully gain more trust. Yet the limitations of transparency may prevent exactly that.
It is a bit like a dog biting it's tail
in many ways transparency can be understood as a catch 22 situation
wanting to be transparent will actually limit how much one can show from the backstage without upsetting outside stakeholders and damaging the "self" or institution.
While at the same time many news organizations embrace transparency in order to be more accountable and hopefully gain more trust. Yet the limitations of transparency may prevent exactly that.
It is a bit like a dog biting it's tail
Photo by Sergei Golyshev
Untitled Slide
Photo by Orin Zebest
Contact
- Michael Koliska - mkoliska@umd.edu
- Kalyani Chadha - kchadha@umd.edu
- College of Journalism, University of Maryland
Photo by Mike Cattell
