Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Arts Club Band : a gatekeeping analysis of how music journalists approach and understand their audiences
Abstract
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] In this qualitative analysis, 10 music writers were asked questions about their processes, preferences and institutions, and the answers were constructed and examined with a focus on the communication routines and organizational levels of analysis. The ideas that emerged suggest that music journalists fulfill a final gatekeeping role as curators who supply knowledge and insight about music to the masses without the cultural implications of the popularized role of tastemakers. They think about their audiences in general, and they value their own goals and writing during their writing routines. They work with editors to reflect the goals of their intended magazines, and they do not worry about the needs or wants of a highly specific audience. Their relationships to their organizations and the cultural context in which they operate were used to understand the role music journalists fills as arts gatekeepers, or curators, as is their preferred role title.
Degree
M.A.
Thesis Department
Rights
Access is limited to the campuses of the University of Missouri.