Journalist or influencer? Exploring young public media journalists' perceptions of individual branding on Twitter
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As the news continues to be increasingly crafted and consumed online, media practitioners and media scholars are becoming more engaged in a complex discourse about journalistic branding, how it manifests itself on Twitter, and where it belongs among the other traditional practices of journalism. The following research study explores how young public media journalists perceive individual journalistic branding and what motivates their own methods for curating their Twitter profiles. To better understand how these digital natives and young entrants into the work force are negotiating between traditional journalistic values and Twitter logic, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 participants. The research questions were guided by market theory, self-discrepancy theory and the individual level of analysis within the hierarchy of influences. Branding was found to be perceived as a justifiable addition to journalism, even though its necessity to journalism is in question. Young journalists also seem to be insecure about their branding methods and very self-conscious about how they will be perceived online. Here, the journalistic view of market theory that predicts gaining attention will become an end instead of a means to an end of informing does not seem to ring true for these journalists who are still prioritizing traditional journalistic values above having the most attractive Twitter profiles.
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M.A.