Money matters? Journalists’ perception of the effects of a weak market orientation

Abstract

Prior research examines the effects of a strong market orientation on a news organization, looking at both content and journalists’ perceptions. But recent technology allows for more weakly market-oriented newsrooms, an under-researched area of inquiry. This study, utilizing long-form interviews with 23 journalists at digital news organizations with weak market orientations, examines journalist perceptions of market orientation. The data show that journalists perceive positive effects of this orientation on their organization through more time for stories, more ability to engage with the audience and more overall autonomy. However, the journalists believe negative effects include a lack of innovation, an unstable funding structure, and a lack of perceived credibility from the audience. These results are discussed through the lens of market theory for news.

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