PhD Ceremony Ornella Porcu (CMJS), Unlocking newsroom culture
| When: | Th 14-11-2024 12:45 - 13:45 |
| Where: | Academy building |
O.C. (Ornella) will defend her doctoral thesis on Thursday 14 November 2024.
Unlocking newsroom culture
Exploring the Innovative Potential of News Media
Promotores:
- Prof. Dr M.J. Broersma
- Dr. E.A.H.M. Hermans
The University Library publishes the thesis digitally after the defence ceremony.
Abstract
Journalism faces multiple challenges worldwide and must overcome various crises in order to continue to exercise its democratic functions. By making greater use of their innovative capacity, newsrooms can become more resilient to better deal with disruptions. This capacity is dependent on social processes which make innovations possible and is nourished by how news workers experience newsroom culture with regard to creativity and innovation. If such culture is experienced as stimulating, it increases chances that workers demonstrate innovative behaviour benefitting the entire organisation. The impact of culture on innovation processes in newsrooms has been strikingly under-researched. Until recently, research has mainly focused on the newsroom acceptance of new technologies. Newsroom culture is often seen as an 'obstacle' to innovation, but without further examining culture as a prerequisite for innovation. This dissertation introduces the concept of Innovative Learning Culture (ILC) as a 'can opener' to map the culture related to creativity and innovation. With ILC as a concept, opportunities and threats for innovation can be pinpointed. In addition to conceptualising and operationalising ILC, empirical research has been conducted into the experiences of ILC in two Dutch national newspaper newsrooms. The findings show that ILC experiences are strongly influenced by hierarchy: the degree of trust between news workers and editors-in-chief determines whether news workers (dare to) demonstrate innovative behaviour. Fear of managers forms an obstacle. Part of the solution lies in addressing the professional and personal communicative needs of all news workers.