"Public interest or cool cash?" - A case study on NORDJYSKE Mediers Facebook practice
Student thesis: Master thesis (including HD thesis)
- Louise Toft Andreasen
- Jens Høstmark Utzon
4. term, Communication, Master (Master Programme)
This project has its origin in an interest for social media, news and journalism. The project lies in continuation of Social Media Analytics, which is a fairly new approach within humanistic research. In a single case study, we examine a big and acknowledged media house in Denmark called NORDJYSKE Medier regarding social media use with a separate focus on Facebook. Combining technical methods within Social Media Analytics like web API with classic approaches such as content analysis and research interviews, we perform a method combination designed for achieving both technical and human insight in a professional practice based on hermeneutic science. Our aim is to analyze how NORDJYSKE Medier use Facebook to convey journalism with focus on both challenges and possibilities in that regard. Along the way, insights will be obtained regarding which types of Facebook content NORDJYSKE Medier use, what types of news they share and we create an overview of, what the followers like and which content types/news is popular. This information will be used in conjunction with qualitative insights from a Social Media Editor, which inflicts knowledge about the journalistic practice. We want to know how NORDJYSKE Medier think news criteria on Facebook in regard to other news channels, and if their Facebook activities is based on strategic communication which leads to news getting distributed based on popularity instead of a public care of interest. Throughout a three-part analysis we obtain a thorough insight in a journalistic practice regarding Facebook. We find that NORDJYSKE is really active on Facebook with multiple daily updates. Facebook is used as a distribution mechanism, where 97% of all updates is linked to news on their website, although picture- and video updates is more popular based on the number of interactions. Through our content analysis we find, that there’s a big difference in, which type of news NORDJYSKE share on Facebook. News about local police services, culture and general human stories and local businesses has a high frequency, whereas news about nature and politics, don’t get mentioned as often. There’s a distinct link between frequency and popularity regarding news, where popular news topics gets a lot more attention on Facebook because of viral potential. Facebook has its own news criteria with focus on proximity, topicality and viral potential. NORDJYSKE Medier has a strategic approach towards communication, and they pick news based on assumptions about popularity. We find that NORDJYSKEs approach to Facebook is reflected in a marketization of journalism with increased focus on clicks and ad revenue. Classic virtues such as public service, autonomy and objectivity is less prominent, whereas new methods based on social media data is developed.
Language | Danish |
---|---|
Publication date | 24 May 2017 |
Number of pages | 97 |
External collaborator | Nordjyske Medier A/S Social medie redaktør Jeanett Harald Schmidt jeanett.harald.schmidt@nordjyske.dk Other |