Expectations and the actual performance of skills in online journalism

Abstract

Multi-mediality has created the notion that online journalists need to be multi-skilled. This argument often ignores skill performance in the media production cycle. We used the parameters of media, technical, and issue multi-skilling as a framework to analyze multi-skilling practices in Estonian online newsrooms. We conducted in-depth interviews with Estonian online reporters and editors in 2012 and 2015, and compared whether there had been changes in skill perception and skill performance. The results reflect a discrepancy between expected perception and the performance of journalistic skills in online newsrooms. The shortened news production cycle and information processing for online news content requires relatively homogeneous skill performance, which differs from skill perception. Time pressures and the decision-making behind the allocation of resources place increasing pressure on the performance of skills in online journalism. The results indicate that practices in Estonian online journalism in many ways resemble the Baltic countries and some countries central and eastern Europe, but there seems to be differences with northern and western European online journalism practices. We identify a set of skills and competences that define journalistic practice in online journalism.

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