To show or to shield : twin cities news media's gatekeeping of the George Floyd video
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Through the lens of gatekeeping, this study investigates Twin Cities news editors' decision-making regarding publication of Darnella Frazier's video of George Floyd's murder. The goal was to understand how news editors perceive their roles changed in a digital age, particularly in relation to user-generated graphic visuals. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted with editors, news directors, and executive producers at five Twin Cities television and newspaper outlets. The study reveals that some gatekeeping procedures remain unchanged from pre-social media days, but editors have grown more reliant on user-generated visual content, particularly when it counters an institutional authority's narrative. Furthermore, editors are putting greater emphasis on audience well- being, recognizing graphic visuals' potential to trigger trauma. In doing so, editors are shifting from using a traditional Breakfast Test (a taste test) towards a "trauma rubric" when dealing with graphic content. Additionally, the study highlights that editors have mixed feelings about social media. While its existence alleviates some publication pressure, editors also feel social media demands rapid decision-making. Overall, the findings suggest news editors still consider themselves active gatekeepers, even while grappling with a complex triad of issues: upholding traditional editorial practices while contending with emerging technologies and evolving ethical considerations.
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M.A.