Expectations and the actual performance of skills in online journalism

ABSTRACT

Multi-mediality has created the notion that online journalists need to be multi-skilled. This argument often ignores skill performance in the media production cycle. We used the parameters of media, technical, and issue multi-skilling as a framework to analyze multi-skilling practices in Estonian online newsrooms. We conducted in-depth interviews with Estonian online reporters and editors in 2012 and 2015, and compared whether there had been changes in skill perception and skill performance. The results reflect a discrepancy between expected perception and the performance of journalistic skills in online newsrooms. The shortened news production cycle and information processing for online news content requires relatively homogeneous skill performance, which differs from skill perception. Time pressures and the decision-making behind the allocation of resources place increasing pressure on the performance of skills in online journalism. The results indicate that practices in Estonian online journalism in many ways resemble the Baltic countries and some countries central and eastern Europe, but there seems to be differences with northern and western European online journalism practices. We identify a set of skills and competences that define journalistic practice in online journalism.

KEYWORDS:

• Online journalism
• journalistic skills
• multi-skilling
• journalism practice
• newsroom management
• Baltic countries
• central and eastern Europe

Notes

1. For a discussion of the concept of accelerating social time in the Baltic context, see Vihalemm et al. (2017).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research Institutional research fundingIUT [20-38)].

Notes on contributors

Marju Himma-Kadakas

Marju Himma-Kadakas ([email protected]) is a junior researcher at the University of Tartu. Her research focuses on the changing conventions of journalistic practices in relation to online journalism and changing technologies. She teaches courses on news reporting, feature writing, and digital media at the institute of Social Studies.

Greete Palmiste

Greete Palmiste ([email protected]) is a graduate student at the University of Tartu. Her previous academic research has focused on work routines and resource allocation in online newsrooms. She is working as a journalist in Estonian Public Broadcasting.