Using Role Theory to Study Cross Perceptions of Journalists and Public Relations Practitioners

2014

Journalism

Freelance journalists who are also occupied in public relations have to deal with contrary expectations. Working as a journalist means contributing to the 'public duty' of journalism. When doing public relations work, journalists have to represent the particular interests of their clients. If journalists cannot fulfill these contradictory expectations, they experience inter-role conflicts. What are the consequences of these role conflicts? We conducted a quantitative online survey with German freelance journalists who also do public relations work. We observed that participants are often troubled by interrole conflicts. They feel tense and uncertain whether they see themselves as journalists or as public relations practitioners. Having internalized a normative perception that journalists must not do public relations work, they experience even more intense interrole conflicts and consequently feel more stressed at work. Moreover, even if their job satisfaction on average remains moderate, when facing inter-role conflicts freelance public relations journalists feel less satisfied with their job situation in general.

Section: Inter-role Conflicts and Consequences Of Role Conflictsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mind the gap: Consequences of inter-role conflicts of freelance journalists with secondary employment in the field of public relations

Obermaier

2014

Journalism

“…In the field of communication science, there have been comparatively few studies conducted on the role conflicts of communications professionals (e.g. Belz et al, 1989;Hoffmann, 2003;Kepplinger and Maurer, 2008;Steinmann et al, 1993Steinmann et al, , 1995Westley and McLean, 1957; see also Kepplinger, 2011: 41-60 andRühl, 1979, for theoretical approaches). Some journalism studies for example show that journalists in general quote moral values such as authenticity, integrity or transparency as an alternative to professional norms and ethics which they might struggle with (Boudana, 2011: 394-5).…”

Section: Inter-role Conflictsmentioning

confidence: 99%

What’s the harm in moonlighting? A qualitative survey on the role conflicts of freelance journalists with secondary employment in the field of PR

Fröhlich

Media, Culture & Society

Obermaier

2013

There seems to be an internationally shared consensus on the ethical norm that journalists may not 'moonlight' for PR since this might conflict with their commitment to autonomy, truth, neutrality and objectivity. However, there is a gap between the normative demands on freelance journalists and the reality of their occupation: The changing world of professional working conditions is challenging journalists and has led to growing numbers of freelance journalists who also work for PR. Whether or not, and if so how freelance journalists with secondary employment in the field of PR perceive and come to terms with conflicts has not yet been thoroughly examined. This contribution is dedicated to this gap in research and asks how freelance journalists who simultaneously work in the field of PR deal with their fundamentally conflicting roles (journalists' perception of inter-role conflicts; how they cope with inter-role conflicts). We conducted semi-structured guided interviews with 18 freelance journalists simultaneously working for PR clients. Our results show that they are aware of the

“…PR practitioners, in contrast, are committed to their respective clients and organizations and are supposed to represent their particular interests (Koch et al, 2017;Lewis et al, 2008;Reich, 2010). Hence, a shift from journalism to PR creates the potential for conflict: former journalists who are now working in PR could experience differing, perhaps even contradictory, professional norms and values, which might lead to role conflict (Belz et al, 1989;Biddle, 1986). Role conflict, in turn, causes stress and dissatisfaction at work (Love et al, 2010;Obermaier and Koch, 2015).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Once a journalist, not always a journalist? Causes and consequences of job changes from journalism to public relations

Viererbl

2019

Journalism

Increasingly, journalists do not find permanent jobs and seek work in related fields, often in public relations. However, the two professions differ with regard to some of their normative functions: whereas journalists should report objectively and without bias, public relations practitioners are supposed to represent their clients' particular interests. Hence, shifts from journalism to public relations have the potential for conflict. This study analyzes whether these shifts cause inter-role conflict and examines the reasons for the job changes. We conducted 17 qualitative semi-structured interviews with former journalists from Germany who have permanently transitioned into public relations. Our results show that the reasons for the job shifts can be categorized along two dimensions: (1) push versus pull factors (being pushed out of journalism because of poor working conditions versus being pulled into public relations jobs by attractive qualities of the work) and (2) hygiene versus motivational factors (extrinsic versus intrinsic rewards related to the job). Moreover, the study reveals that former journalists who now work in public relations struggle with inter-role conflict because they retain a journalistic self-concept that conflicts with specific norms in public relations. The participants, however, report a number of strategies to cope with these conflicts.