[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.org)); localcommunity news-sites (Felixstowe TV (http://www.felixstowetv.co.uk) andVision-News (http://vision-news.tv)); professional bloggers/aggregators(Pharmagossip (http://pharmagossip.blogspot.com), Dr Crippen (http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com), Dr Blue (a member of the http://www.drrant.netsite), Dr Grumble (http://drgrumble.blogspot.com) and The Magistrate s Blog(http://thelawwestofealingbroadway.blogspot.com)); the armed forcesinformation exchange sites, ARRSE and RumRation (http://www.arrse.co.ukand http://www.rumration.co.uk); local personal commentary sites(Rentergirl (http://www.rentergirl.blogspot.com) and Aidan, a photographysite (http://www.aidan.co.uk)); celebrity gossip sites (Holy Moly(http://www.holymoly.co.uk) and Madame Arcati (http://madamearcati.blogspot.com)); and a financial advice site (AbnormalReturns at http://abnormalreturns.com).3.For debate on the term in September 2007 see: http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=38718 Fenton-3900-Ch-08:Fenton-Sample 11/08/2009 4:29 PM Page 152152 NEW MEDIA, OLD NEWS4.For the US, see www.democracynow.org and www.publicintegrity.org; onIsrael, see Reich (2008).5.Initially, anticipating major difficulties of access, we included US producers inour fieldwork.This later proved too cautious (we had a 50% success ratefrom approaches for interviews), but it explains why there is one USproducer www.abnormalreturns.com (a financial analyst) in the sample.6.See those listed under Further Reading.7.Such as www.medicaljustice.org.uk and www.pricedout.org.uk8.In order to protect confidentiality, quotes will be identified either by sitename only, or (in the case of more personal sites) with a generic attribution(such as, celebrity site X/Y, professional site XYZ, local personal site X/Y).9.See the Daily Telegraph, weekend section, 10 May 2008.10.See The Magistrate s Blog throughout and the 9 July 2008 post of Dr Rant atwww.drrant.net Fenton-3900-Ch-09:Fenton-Sample 12/08/2009 3:04 PM Page 153Chapter NineNGOS, New Media and theMainstream News:News from EverywhereNatalie FentonIntroductionThis chapter looks at one type of news source the NGO and thenature of its relationship to the professional journalist in a newmedia environment.It draws on a range of interviews with a varietyof NGOs and journalists conducted throughout 2007/08.1 Publicity both for campaigning and for fundraising is a central aspect of allNGOs work.For many, particularly the large, resource-richorganizations, responding to a media-saturated environment hasmeant a growth in press and public relations (PR) offices increasinglystaffed by trained professional journalists.These professionals applythe same norms and values to their work as any mainstream newsroomalbeit with different aims and intentions; they use their contacts andcultural capital to gain access to key journalists and report increasingsuccess in a media-expanded world.The resource poor however, farfrom finding a more levelled playing field with new media increasingaccess, as proclaimed by many early exponents of the advantages ofnew communication technologies (see Klein, 2000; Norris, 2002;Rheingold, 2002), are forced to rely on long-standing credibilityestablished by proven news-awareness and issue relevance.They findit much harder to keep up with changes in technology and theexplosion of news space; and much harder to stand out amidst thecountless voices online all competing for journalists attention.Asjournalists are now required to do more in less time (Davies, 2008;Phillips, this volume) so their interactions with news sources dwindle.In news terms, NGOs may be getting more coverage (often online), but Fenton-3900-Ch-09:Fenton-Sample 12/08/2009 3:04 PM Page 154154 NEW MEDIA, OLD NEWSthe nature of that news remains firmly within pre-establishedjournalistic norms and values referred to in this chapter as newscloning.The opportunity to explain complex issues in detail in thehope of shifting news agendas is waning.The increased pressures onjournalists from the marketization of news,2 combine with thepressures of non-elite news sources to maximize news coverage,resulting in NGOs feeling frequently compelled to give journalists whatthey want ready-made copy that fits pre-established news agendas.But before moving on to the empirical data that explains thesefindings, it is critical to appreciate the changing socio-political context ofthe status of NGOs in a neo-liberal global order.To understand the wayin which NGOs are positioned as news sources, their subsequentrelationship to professional journalists and the impact of technology, wemust also take account of the altered nature of NGOs as organizationsand their changing position in society.Over the last two decades there has been an exponential growth inNGOs worldwide though the majority are still in developed nations(Albrow et al., 2008).NGOs have not only increased in number but havebecome an essential part of society.In the UK this is manifest in a vastlyenhanced role for NGOs as service providers making a significantcontribution to welfare.In the process of expansion many NGOs havebecome more professional in outlook.The sheer expansion in numbershas increased competition between NGOs to garner the attention of bothpolicy makers and donors alike.Consequently, the fundraising andcampaigning roles of the press office have gained in importance.In 1989Knapp and Saxon-Harrold noted that NGOs had greater diversity ofincome sources, social programmes and organizational complexity;enhanced advocacy and more extensive media attention related to moreprofessional fundraising, management and the use of marketing thanever before.In the 20 years since this study it would appear that thistrend has continued.The contemporary role of NGOs and their relative prominence in civilsociety is indicative not only of national political and economic changesbut also of the rise of non-state actors and their relationship to globalchanges under neo-liberalism.As the work of nation states moves andcombines across national borders, the presence of non-state actors notaccountable to electoral state-bound constituencies is beginning to reformat the political field (Dean et al., 2006: xxviii).New ICTs enablerelatively easy networked communication between NGOs and by NGOswith other political actors on a global platform.Local actors have becomepart of global networks, intervening in international concerns such ashuman rights and environmentalism, further increasing their credibilityand enhancing their relationship with journalists who are more likely toperceive them as newsworthy. Fenton-3900-Ch-09:Fenton-Sample 12/08/2009 3:04 PM Page 155155NGOS, NEW MEDIA AND THE MAINSTREAM NEWSThe enhanced social and political role of NGOs has occurredalongside diminishing public confidence in traditional political elitesand systems.People are increasingly disengaged from mainstreampolitics (Park, 2004).The extensive literature that discusses peopleand politics falls largely into two camps: one that talks of disaffectionand the other of citizen displacement (Loader, 2007).In the former,studies speak of the decline of (particularly young) people voting inconventional party political elections as indicative of extensivealienation of people from society s central institutions (Wilkinson andMulgan 1995) [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl trzylatki.xlx.pl
.org)); localcommunity news-sites (Felixstowe TV (http://www.felixstowetv.co.uk) andVision-News (http://vision-news.tv)); professional bloggers/aggregators(Pharmagossip (http://pharmagossip.blogspot.com), Dr Crippen (http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com), Dr Blue (a member of the http://www.drrant.netsite), Dr Grumble (http://drgrumble.blogspot.com) and The Magistrate s Blog(http://thelawwestofealingbroadway.blogspot.com)); the armed forcesinformation exchange sites, ARRSE and RumRation (http://www.arrse.co.ukand http://www.rumration.co.uk); local personal commentary sites(Rentergirl (http://www.rentergirl.blogspot.com) and Aidan, a photographysite (http://www.aidan.co.uk)); celebrity gossip sites (Holy Moly(http://www.holymoly.co.uk) and Madame Arcati (http://madamearcati.blogspot.com)); and a financial advice site (AbnormalReturns at http://abnormalreturns.com).3.For debate on the term in September 2007 see: http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=38718 Fenton-3900-Ch-08:Fenton-Sample 11/08/2009 4:29 PM Page 152152 NEW MEDIA, OLD NEWS4.For the US, see www.democracynow.org and www.publicintegrity.org; onIsrael, see Reich (2008).5.Initially, anticipating major difficulties of access, we included US producers inour fieldwork.This later proved too cautious (we had a 50% success ratefrom approaches for interviews), but it explains why there is one USproducer www.abnormalreturns.com (a financial analyst) in the sample.6.See those listed under Further Reading.7.Such as www.medicaljustice.org.uk and www.pricedout.org.uk8.In order to protect confidentiality, quotes will be identified either by sitename only, or (in the case of more personal sites) with a generic attribution(such as, celebrity site X/Y, professional site XYZ, local personal site X/Y).9.See the Daily Telegraph, weekend section, 10 May 2008.10.See The Magistrate s Blog throughout and the 9 July 2008 post of Dr Rant atwww.drrant.net Fenton-3900-Ch-09:Fenton-Sample 12/08/2009 3:04 PM Page 153Chapter NineNGOS, New Media and theMainstream News:News from EverywhereNatalie FentonIntroductionThis chapter looks at one type of news source the NGO and thenature of its relationship to the professional journalist in a newmedia environment.It draws on a range of interviews with a varietyof NGOs and journalists conducted throughout 2007/08.1 Publicity both for campaigning and for fundraising is a central aspect of allNGOs work.For many, particularly the large, resource-richorganizations, responding to a media-saturated environment hasmeant a growth in press and public relations (PR) offices increasinglystaffed by trained professional journalists.These professionals applythe same norms and values to their work as any mainstream newsroomalbeit with different aims and intentions; they use their contacts andcultural capital to gain access to key journalists and report increasingsuccess in a media-expanded world.The resource poor however, farfrom finding a more levelled playing field with new media increasingaccess, as proclaimed by many early exponents of the advantages ofnew communication technologies (see Klein, 2000; Norris, 2002;Rheingold, 2002), are forced to rely on long-standing credibilityestablished by proven news-awareness and issue relevance.They findit much harder to keep up with changes in technology and theexplosion of news space; and much harder to stand out amidst thecountless voices online all competing for journalists attention.Asjournalists are now required to do more in less time (Davies, 2008;Phillips, this volume) so their interactions with news sources dwindle.In news terms, NGOs may be getting more coverage (often online), but Fenton-3900-Ch-09:Fenton-Sample 12/08/2009 3:04 PM Page 154154 NEW MEDIA, OLD NEWSthe nature of that news remains firmly within pre-establishedjournalistic norms and values referred to in this chapter as newscloning.The opportunity to explain complex issues in detail in thehope of shifting news agendas is waning.The increased pressures onjournalists from the marketization of news,2 combine with thepressures of non-elite news sources to maximize news coverage,resulting in NGOs feeling frequently compelled to give journalists whatthey want ready-made copy that fits pre-established news agendas.But before moving on to the empirical data that explains thesefindings, it is critical to appreciate the changing socio-political context ofthe status of NGOs in a neo-liberal global order.To understand the wayin which NGOs are positioned as news sources, their subsequentrelationship to professional journalists and the impact of technology, wemust also take account of the altered nature of NGOs as organizationsand their changing position in society.Over the last two decades there has been an exponential growth inNGOs worldwide though the majority are still in developed nations(Albrow et al., 2008).NGOs have not only increased in number but havebecome an essential part of society.In the UK this is manifest in a vastlyenhanced role for NGOs as service providers making a significantcontribution to welfare.In the process of expansion many NGOs havebecome more professional in outlook.The sheer expansion in numbershas increased competition between NGOs to garner the attention of bothpolicy makers and donors alike.Consequently, the fundraising andcampaigning roles of the press office have gained in importance.In 1989Knapp and Saxon-Harrold noted that NGOs had greater diversity ofincome sources, social programmes and organizational complexity;enhanced advocacy and more extensive media attention related to moreprofessional fundraising, management and the use of marketing thanever before.In the 20 years since this study it would appear that thistrend has continued.The contemporary role of NGOs and their relative prominence in civilsociety is indicative not only of national political and economic changesbut also of the rise of non-state actors and their relationship to globalchanges under neo-liberalism.As the work of nation states moves andcombines across national borders, the presence of non-state actors notaccountable to electoral state-bound constituencies is beginning to reformat the political field (Dean et al., 2006: xxviii).New ICTs enablerelatively easy networked communication between NGOs and by NGOswith other political actors on a global platform.Local actors have becomepart of global networks, intervening in international concerns such ashuman rights and environmentalism, further increasing their credibilityand enhancing their relationship with journalists who are more likely toperceive them as newsworthy. Fenton-3900-Ch-09:Fenton-Sample 12/08/2009 3:04 PM Page 155155NGOS, NEW MEDIA AND THE MAINSTREAM NEWSThe enhanced social and political role of NGOs has occurredalongside diminishing public confidence in traditional political elitesand systems.People are increasingly disengaged from mainstreampolitics (Park, 2004).The extensive literature that discusses peopleand politics falls largely into two camps: one that talks of disaffectionand the other of citizen displacement (Loader, 2007).In the former,studies speak of the decline of (particularly young) people voting inconventional party political elections as indicative of extensivealienation of people from society s central institutions (Wilkinson andMulgan 1995) [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]