Experts or Advocates

Shifting Roles of Central Sources Used by Journalists in News Stories

Bibliographic Data

ID12909189
AuthorsBo Laursen (0000-0002-0957-7637, Aarhus University), N Leila Trapp (0000-0003-3301-6634, Aarhus University, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume15
Issue1
Pages1-18
Publication date2019-11-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournalism Practice (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1751-2786 • E-ISSN: 1751-2794
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17512786.2019.1695537
OpenAlexW2989630707
LanguageEN
Citations received23
References cited41

This study empirically examines suspected shifts in journalist practices in western democracies regarding the granting of expert, vis-á-vis advocate, roles to central social actor types used as sources in news stories: interest groups, think tanks, and independent university researchers. The theoretical foundation includes well-established concepts, e.g., the objectivity norm; credibility; expertise; advocacy, and reporting biases. A characterization of the actor types indicates that independent researchers are prototypical experts, while interest groups and think tanks must strive to earn credibility due to ideological commitments. An analysis of Danish news stories indicates that the expert-advocate distinction is indeed blurring, including changes in journalists’ market for expertise. Of the three actors, think tanks are most frequently cast as experts, due to persistent reference to their own research. Interest groups, while mostly advocating by expressing what they find (un)desirable, rarely refer to their own research. Independent researchers refer least often to their research, and more frequently advocate. Proposed explanations for shifting roles include the professionalization of interest groups; the growing pervasiveness of think tanks; and the proliferation of political undertones in university research. The discussion ends with a call for even sharper critical skills amongst journalists and audiences, in order to skillfully navigate these remarkable shifts

Credibility · Epistemology · Ideology · Journalism · Media studies · Norm (philosophy · Objectivity (philosophy · Political science · Politics · Professionalization · Public relations · Social media · Sociology · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Social Media and Politics

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access