“In the midst of some crazy sitcom”
A case study of journalist union representatives’ work during disruptive change
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19477191 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ulrika Hedman (0000-0003-1765-4812, Mid Sweden University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-24 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journalism (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1464-8849 • E-ISSN: 1741-3001 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/14648849261447523 |
| OpenAlex | W7155619807 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
While there is a growing literature on disruptive digital innovation and change in media organizations and the effects on both journalism and journalists, little is known about journalist unions as key actors in processes of disruptive change: how they perceive challenges and the strategic choices they make. The aim of this paper is to advance the understanding of journalist union representatives’ work during disruptive change in local news media. The study draws from interviews with union representatives at the Swedish news media group Mittmedia , analyzed from the perspective of strategy-as-practice (SAP). The findings suggest that the double roles of a journalist union, as a trade union and a professional organization, provide a parallel set of arguments in the negotiations, but that when the pace of investments in digital innovation, transformation of work processes, cutbacks, and layoffs is forced and constantly ongoing, relying on existing practices and strategies is not enough when trying to protect the members’ interests. When external conflicts are constant there is also a risk of internal conflicts
Disruptive innovation · Journalism · Pace · Trade union · Management and Organizational Studies · Media Studies and Communication · Public Relations and Crisis Communication
Retrospective reports of strategic‐level managers
Exploitation-Exploration Tensions and Organizational Ambidexterity
Communicating a Local Journalism Crisis Online
From Financialization to Low and Non-Profit
Ties to the Past in Organization Research
Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences
The Fundamental Role Played by Unionism in the Self-Structuring of Professional Journalists from Québec
Newswork Within a Culture of Job Insecurity
Conditional Autonomy
The “Free Press” of Unionized Journalists and Students
Temporary Labor Convergence
Maintaining a Freelance Career
Digitizing freelance media labor
Broadcasting discontent—freelancers, trade unions and the Internet
Strategizing
Engineering Consent
Solidarity in the newsroom? Media concentration and union organizing
Technology and journalism-as-labour
Managing and resisting workplace reorganization
Rethinking work in the creator economy
Strategy as Practice
Iterative Thematic Inquiry
Toward a Theory of Social Practices
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |