Local broadcast journalism, user-generated content and boundary work

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how local broadcast news stations use user-generated content (UGC), and what opinions producers at these stations have toward UGC. Studying local news stations’ use of UGC is important because it offers insight into the challenging ethical, legal, commercial and professional issues that broadcasters must consider when deciding whether and how to use UGC in general or certain types of UGC in particular. To conduct its analysis, this article builds its theoretical foundation using theories from the field of journalistic boundary work. The study relies on exploratory data from a Qualtrics survey, which was both administered in person and sent via email to news directors and producers at local broadcast news stations in the United States. Findings reveal that local broadcasters enjoy a uniquely high degree of flexibility to engage in boundary work, particularly through their ability to distinguish between the roles UGC can play within the more professional platform of newscasts and the more participatory online platform. Participants also reported following high ethical standards for using UGC. These findings suggest that local broadcast journalists can play a unique and exemplary role in shaping the boundaries between professional and amateur content.

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