How much journalism is in brand journalism? How brand journalists perceive their roles and blur the boundaries between journalism and strategic communication

Bibliographic Data

ID7477494
AuthorsThomas Koch (0000-0002-6021-6140, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, corresponding author), Benno Viererbl (0000-0002-4506-1363, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz), Charlotte Schulz-Knappe (0000-0002-9481-6806, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)
Year2021
Volume24
Issue4
Pages749-766
Publication date2021-07-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournalism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1464-8849 • E-ISSN: 1741-3001
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/14648849211029802
OpenAlexW3178852547
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited49

An increasing number of companies and other organizations publish their own news media that resemble journalistic media in terms of content, language and design. The production and distribution of these publications are often referred to as brand journalism. However, although these publications look a lot like journalistic media, they are used as strategic communication tools: They represent and legitimize an organization’s interests and aim to improve brand image, build relations with customers or increase sales. Thus, brand journalism blurs the boundaries between journalism and strategic communication. The present study focuses on brand journalists and analyses their work routines, professional role perceptions and possible role conflicts. To this end, we conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with editors of corporate magazines. The interviewees described quite strong parallels to journalistic work routines and asserted their orientation toward journalistic norms (e.g. autonomy, unbiased reporting); however, these norms were regularly undermined when the topics covered centred on their own or their clients’ organizations. Most interviewees described large parts of their professional identity as journalistic, but were also aware that they were in a hybrid role between journalism and strategic communication. This hybrid role is associated with a range of expectations that can lead to role conflicts

Advertising · Autonomy · Brand management · Business · Corporate branding · Identity (music · Journalism · Media studies · Negotiation · Political science · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Strategic Communication · Technical Journalism · Media Influence and Health · Media Studies and Communication · Public Relations and Crisis Communication

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