Newswork in transition: An ethnography of Netwerk24 Marenet Jordaan Dissertation presented for the degree Doctor of Philosophy (Journalism) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Dr Gabriël J. Botma December 2018 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Marenet Jordaan December 2018 Copyright © 2018 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract This study explores how journalists at Netwerk24, as Afrikaans news website and national newsroom, experience and describe newswork during a time of disruption and transition. Situated within the field of journalism studies, this newsroom ethnography analyses how newsroom culture is structured by, and structures, the way journalists interact with each other and with non- human actors, such as digital media technologies. A thorough literature review indicates that digital media technologies can, on the one hand, change newswork on a structural level. On the other hand, such technologies can also, often simultaneously, become naturalised parts of existing newsroom practices and routines. What becomes clear, however, is that a technocentric view of changes to the newsroom is too limited, and that the role of culture and context should also be considered. As such, a novel theoretical framework is used in order to address the historical dispositions that influence journalists’ actions, while simultaneously addressing the current associations that develop amongst journalists and between journalists and the so-called material “stuff” they use during newswork. The study thus relies on a combination of the basic tenets of Bourdieu’s field theory, more specifically the professional journalistic habitus, and Latour’s actor-network theory. The argument pursued in this study is that journalists who were and are socialised in a specific professional manner into newsroom culture are actors within an unstable news-producing network; a network where digital media technologies also play an active role. By using an ethnographic research design, this exploration of Netwerk24 adds to existing studies from within the newsroom; an approach that allows the researcher to open the so-called “black box” of newswork. More than 250 hours’ worth of participant observation field notes from four different geographical newsroom offices, in combination with semi-structured interviews with purposively selected research participants contribute to a better understanding of what happens where news is produced for Netwerk24. More importantly, the analysis of findings – using ATLAS.ti version 7 – provides insight into why the cultures, practices and routines at Netwerk24 are structured the way they are. The research findings reveal that digital media technologies (such as Facebook and WhatsApp), while key to newswork, are not the main drivers of change and disruption within the Netwerk24 newsroom. These technologies enable, or force, the journalists to be multi-skilled and thus add to their workload. Yet the Netwerk24 journalists appear to have accepted and incorporated these non-human actors quite naturally into their newswork. ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za What is of more concern for the journalists are the culture and communication in the newsroom. A lack of clarity about radical changes, the influence of specific newsroom personalities, an inability to share the vision for Netwerk24 due to a perceived lack of internal communication, and other challenges to newswork seem to cause more uneasiness amongst journalists than technological disruptions. The study thus concludes that while most journalists are willing to adapt to change and accept the uncertainty of a future in journalism, they often hold on to traditional conceptualisations of journalism and crave to know where they fit into the Netwerk24 newswork network. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Opsomming Hierdie studie stel ondersoek in na hoe joernaliste by Netwerk24, ’n Afrikaanse nuuswebwerf en nasionale nuuskantoor, nuuswerk ervaar en beskryf gedurende ’n tyd van ontwrigting en oorgang. Hierdie nuuskantoor-etnografie, binne joernalistiekstudies as navorsingsveld, ontleed die strukturering van nuuskantoorkultuur en hoe dit joernaliste se interaksie met mekaar en digitale mediategnologieë beïnvloed. ’n Literatuuroorsig dui aan dat digitale mediategnologieë nuuswerk enersyds op ’n strukturele vlak kan verander. Sulke tegnologieë kan andersyds ook, dikwels gelyktydig, ingeburger word binne bestaande nuuskantoorpraktyke en -roetines. Dit is egter duidelik dat ’n tegnologie-gesentreerde uitkyk op veranderinge binne die nuuskantoor té beperkend is. Die rol van kultuur en konteks moet ook oorweeg word. Derhalwe word die historiese ingesteldhede wat joernaliste se aksies beïnvloed asook die huidige verbintenisse tussen joernaliste onderling en tussen joernaliste en dít wat hulle nodig het vir nuuswerk in ’n nuwe teoretiese raamwerk ondersoek. Die studie maak dus staat op ’n kombinasie van die basiese beginsels van Bourdieu se veldteorie – en spesifiek die professionele joernalistieke habitus – en Latour se agent-netwerk teorie. Die argument wat in dié studie aangevoer word, is dat joernaliste professioneel op ’n spesifieke wyse binne die nuuskantoorkultuur ingelyf word op ’n manier wat stabiliteit bevorder. Maar terselfdertyd is die joernaliste ook deel van ’n onstabiele nuus-vervaardigingsnetwerk; ’n netwerk waar digitale mediategnologieë ook ’n aktiewe rol speel. Deur die gebruik van ’n etnografiese navorsingsontwerp, dra hierdie verkenning van Netwerk24 by tot bestaande studies van binne die nuuskantoor; ’n benadering wat die navorser in staat stel om die sogenaamde “swart boks” van nuuswerk oop te maak. Die data is onder meer ingesamel deur veldnotas gebaseer op meer as 250 uur se deelnemende waarneming binne vier verskillende geografiese nuuskantore. Voorts is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met ’n doelgerigte steekproef van navorsingsdeelnemers gevoer. Die bevindinge dra by tot ’n beter begrip van wat gebeur waar en wanneer nuus vir Netwerk24 geskep word. Meer belangrik nóg, verskaf die ontleding van bevindinge – deur middel van ATLAS.ti weergawe 7 – insig oor hoekom die kulture, praktyke en roetines by Netwerk24 op ’n sekere manier gestruktureer is. Die navorsingsbevindinge toon aan dat digitale mediategnologieë (soos Facebook en WhatsApp) van sleutelbelang vir nuuswerk is, maar dat dié tegnologie nie die hoofdryfkragte van verandering en ontwrigting binne die Netwerk24-nuuskantoor is nie. Dié tegnologieë stel joernaliste in staat, of dwing hulle, om meer vaardighede te ontwikkel wat gevolglik tot hul werklas bydra. Desondanks het iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za die Netwerk24-joernaliste klaarblyklik dié tegnologie relatief gemaklik aanvaar en ingesluit by hul nuuswerk. Die kultuur en kommunikasie in die nuuskantoor is van groter belang vir die joernaliste as tegnologiese vernuwings en veranderinge. Uitdagings sluit in ’n gebrek aan duidelikheid oor ingrypende strukturele veranderinge, die invloed van spesifieke nuuskantoor-persoonlikhede, en ’n onvermoë om in die visie vir Netwerk24 te deel weens belewenis van ’n gebrek aan interne kommunikasie. Hierdie studie kom dus tot die gevolgtrekking dat die meerderheid joernaliste bereid is om te verander en dat hulle die onsekerheid van ’n toekoms in joernalistiek aanvaar. Desondanks hou hulle dikwels steeds vas aan tradisionele opvattings oor joernalistiek en smag hulle daarna om te weet hoe hulle by Netwerk24 se nuuswerk-netwerk inpas. v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgements Since it takes a village to raise a child, I have a lot of people to thank. To my supervisor, Dr Gawie Botma, for listening, advising and nudging me in the right direction: Anyone would be lucky to take this journey with you. To my parents, Chris and Annette Jordaan, for all those early morning video calls and unceasing encouragement: You are the twin pillars of my life. To my sisters, Annelet Kruger, Christél Jordaan, Lize Buitenweg and Jeanne Terblanche, and their families: I am socialised the way I am because of you, and I love you. I also thank my colleagues in the Department of Journalism who allowed me time to focus on my studies: Prof Lizette Rabe, for her invaluable mentorship and gentle guidance; Jeanne van der Merwe, Corli van der Merwe and Andre Gouws, the Rykie van Reenen fellows who became more than just colleagues; Elizabeth Newman, the angel who made my journey (especially around the country) so much easier; Lijuan Williams-Daniels, for all those perfect cups of coffee; Prof George Claassen and Johannes de Villiers for their support; and all the other PhD candidates in the department for our monthly catch-up sessions. I am also indebted to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University for the research grants that made my field work possible. A heartfelt thank you to my dearest friend Magriet Pienaar, for all those breakfasts and lunches – and for helping with the final editing.