Whistleblowers and their Faith in Journalism

Bibliographic Data

ID12909166
AuthorsKarin Assmann (0000-0001-9879-7772, University of Georgia, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume18
Issue10
Pages2568-2587
Publication date2022-12-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournalism Practice (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1751-2786 • E-ISSN: 1751-2794
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17512786.2022.2161067
OpenAlexW4312199523
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited53

Reporters, in order to enact their role as watchdogs and to their commitment to uncover corporate or governmental wrongdoing, often must rely on individuals willing to risk their careers and reputations, at times their lives, to expose their employers' malfeasance. Some whistleblowers turn to the news media to get their messages and stories out. This is often a leap of faith that implies a level of trust in journalists and in their outlet's adherence to their normative roles. This study explores whistleblowers' perceptions of the news media as they recall crossing over from the employer's institutional logic to journalism's institutional logic. In-depth interviews conducted with 16 U.S. whistleblowers who contacted journalists from the 1970s through the 2010s, find that trust in individual journalists is a consistent theme. Of all norms, participants most valued source protection and accuracy, followed by a reporter's expertise and willingness to listen. Almost all interviewees lack faith in the impact of today's press. As austerity measures take hold in newsrooms across the country, this study shines a light, from the source's perspective, on what will likely be lost if newsrooms neglect beat reporting and overlook the specter of government surveillance and control.KEYWORDS: Journalismwhistleblowerssourcestrustdemocracywatching journalism Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Upon first mention I add the year in which the interviewee blew the whistle in parentheses.2 Financial Times

Faith · Journalism · News media · Objectivity (philosophy · Political science · Public relations · Sensationalism · Sociology · Wrongdoing · Ethics in Business and Education · Law · Media Studies and Communication · Public Relations and Crisis Communication