Solving journalism with data

Silicon Valley’s influence on the Fourth Estate

Bibliographic Data

ID7478455
AuthorsNadja Schaetz (0000-0001-6692-3471, Universität Hamburg, Journalism and Communication Studies, Hamburg, Germany, corresponding author), Laura Laugwitz (0000-0001-8527-2504, Universität Hamburg, Journalism and Communication Studies, Hamburg, Germany), Juliane A Lischka (0000-0002-4845-0946, Universität Hamburg, Journalism and Communication Studies, Hamburg, Germany)
Year2023
Volume25
Issue5
Pages1148-1166
Publication date2023-05-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournalism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1464-8849 • E-ISSN: 1741-3001
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/14648849231176110
OpenAlexW4376601628
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited41

The historically ambiguous relationship between journalism and Big Tech can be traced back to the late 20th century, when news organizations started to recognize the potential of the Internet as a distribution platform. While a growing body of literature is concerned with power asymmetries between Big Tech and journalism, the role of place in shaping the layered histories of journalism remains underexplored. This study uses a framework of place—conceptualized as material and geographic, a setting for action and lived experiences carrying the legacies of their past, and a site of accumulating histories of cultural meaning and power ( Usher, 2019 )—to examine how Silicon Valley and Fourth Estate ideals converge. Empirically, the study analyzes job advertisements of four US and UK print-legacy news outlets serving as a window into shifting expectations, skills, and values that news organizations seek in their employees, reflecting broader trends in journalism. Findings show that journalism draws on Silicon Valley ideals, merging datasolutionism with Fourth Estate narratives of audience access. Some news organizations are not only tech-oriented but frame themselves as tech companies with a Fourth Estate mission. While both Silicon Valley and Fourth Estate narratives promote ideals of equal power distribution, findings indicate the reinforcement of hegemonic power structures in the news industry. We conclude that the influence of Silicon Valley on journalism is one of consolidating power through location, action, and cultural meaning, as news organizations construct datasolutionism as a pivotal novel layer to achieve long-standing Fourth Estate ideals. This analysis contributes to our understanding of the historical context and evolving nature of the relationship between journalism and Big Tech, highlighting the significance of place in shaping the dynamics between these two increasingly intertwined industries

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