On September 26, Amanda Ramsälv defended her doctoral thesis, Digital News as Social Production of Knowledge(s), in which she employed a mixed methods approach to study two distinct forms of digital journalism, data journalism and breaking news reporting. This approach allowed her to explore how journalists determine what information is important and true in their daily work, as well as how technology influences the news production process.
While data journalism was studied during the pandemic and examined for its analytical reporting style, breaking news production was explored with immersive ethnographic fieldwork inside the newsroom.
- I have always been curious about the journalistic process and its complexity. News plays such an important role in society and democracy, so, to be able to follow and analyze how journalists sort through facts and information on a race against time was interesting, says Amanda Ramsälv.
Real-time investigation
To analyze the production of breaking news, Amanda and Oscar Westlund and Mats Ekström followed journalists in the newsroom for three weeks. They were able to observe the entire process from start to finish, during editorial meetings, following interviews with sources, reporting and finally publication of articles on the website and social media platforms.
- Being able to observe and ask questions during the reporting process, and how metrics as a technology plays such an important role on the journalistic process in producing knowledge was a very rich experience that offered valuable insights on a topic that needs more scientific attention, says Amanda.
In contrast, the study also delved into data-driven journalism often produced in collaboration with programmers and statisticians, which brings an analytical perspective. This process allows more comprehensive reporting, and also slower and more resource-intensive compared to breaking news coverage.
By observing these contrasting journalistic practices, the dissertation explores how technology and the pursuit of speed or depth influence the production of trustworthy knowledge in the digital news landscape.
Journalistic authority versus metrics
Her research argues that the authority of journalism, the trust people place in it to deliver reliable knowledge, is not set in stone. Instead, it depends on how journalists present their work and how audiences respond. Digital tools, algorithms, and newsroom metrics all influence what becomes news and how it is disseminated.
- News in digital spaces is produced and updated constantly, with a close look at audience numbers. Reporting often finds itself in a paradox of metrics driven work while trying to pursue journalistic values,” Amanda explains.
As digitalization changes both the speed and depth of reporting, it also reshapes which stories get attention and in what ways and how journalism maintains its role as a trusted institution.
Text: Luiza Lafuente Woellner Dos Santos
More information
Read Amanda Ramsälv’s dissertation here: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/88514
