The Social and Intellectual Contexts of the U.S. Newsroom Studies, and the Media Sociology of Today
S. Stonbely. Journalism Studies, 16 (2):
259--274(2015)
Zusammenfassung
This paper provides an intellectual history of the media sociology of the 1970s and early 1980s, as epitomized by a selection of newsroom ethnographies (the '' newsroom studies'') that were published during this time. With a focus on the United States, I identify several discourses in both the intellectual and broader socio-political context that were contemporary with the research and whose influences can be seen in these seminal studies. In particular: organizational theory—of the Marxist variety, a critique of professionalism, and the social construction of reality; as well as a broad rejection of institutional authority and a liberal call for pluralism. Having identified these influences, I ask what sort of blind spots this historically specific intellectual constellation produced, and how these blind spots still influence the media sociology of today. I conclude that the intellectual and socio-political contexts of the newsroom studies led their authors to over-emphasize organizational constraints, and to focus narrowly on the most influential news outlets and their official sources; contemporary ethnographies have placed greater emphasis on journalistic agency and on the networked nature of newswork, though I question whether an emphasis on organizational constraints is not still politically warranted.
%0 Journal Article
%1 stonbely_social_2015
%A Stonbely, Sarah
%D 2015
%J Journalism Studies
%K 1970s 1980s journalism sociology united-states
%N 2
%P 259--274
%T The Social and Intellectual Contexts of the U.S. Newsroom Studies, and the Media Sociology of Today
%V 16
%X This paper provides an intellectual history of the media sociology of the 1970s and early 1980s, as epitomized by a selection of newsroom ethnographies (the '' newsroom studies'') that were published during this time. With a focus on the United States, I identify several discourses in both the intellectual and broader socio-political context that were contemporary with the research and whose influences can be seen in these seminal studies. In particular: organizational theory—of the Marxist variety, a critique of professionalism, and the social construction of reality; as well as a broad rejection of institutional authority and a liberal call for pluralism. Having identified these influences, I ask what sort of blind spots this historically specific intellectual constellation produced, and how these blind spots still influence the media sociology of today. I conclude that the intellectual and socio-political contexts of the newsroom studies led their authors to over-emphasize organizational constraints, and to focus narrowly on the most influential news outlets and their official sources; contemporary ethnographies have placed greater emphasis on journalistic agency and on the networked nature of newswork, though I question whether an emphasis on organizational constraints is not still politically warranted.
@article{stonbely_social_2015,
abstract = {This paper provides an intellectual history of the media sociology of the 1970s and early 1980s, as epitomized by a selection of newsroom ethnographies (the '' newsroom studies'') that were published during this time. With a focus on the United States, I identify several discourses in both the intellectual and broader socio-political context that were contemporary with the research and whose influences can be seen in these seminal studies. In particular: organizational theory\textemdash{}of the Marxist variety, a critique of professionalism, and the social construction of reality; as well as a broad rejection of institutional authority and a liberal call for pluralism. Having identified these influences, I ask what sort of blind spots this historically specific intellectual constellation produced, and how these blind spots still influence the media sociology of today. I conclude that the intellectual and socio-political contexts of the newsroom studies led their authors to over-emphasize organizational constraints, and to focus narrowly on the most influential news outlets and their official sources; contemporary ethnographies have placed greater emphasis on journalistic agency and on the networked nature of newswork, though I question whether an emphasis on organizational constraints is not still politically warranted.},
added-at = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200},
author = {Stonbely, Sarah},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2e42469fc3cee0cc089742d5331cf9ad6/jpooley},
interhash = {d1e7ad90b967e3576745262c39c67ee6},
intrahash = {e42469fc3cee0cc089742d5331cf9ad6},
journal = {Journalism Studies},
keywords = {1970s 1980s journalism sociology united-states},
number = 2,
pages = {259--274},
timestamp = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200},
title = {The {{Social}} and {{Intellectual Contexts}} of the {{U}}.{{S}}. {{Newsroom Studies}}, and the {{Media Sociology}} of {{Today}}},
volume = 16,
year = 2015
}