MAI on the organizational level Part 2 - Practices Session 8 Photo: imago/ecomedia/robert fishman

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level2 In course B we illustrate MAI on the organizational level in practice. The two main questions in this course are: 1. How do journalists perceive MAI on the level of news organizations? 2. What are good examples of news organization MAI in practice?

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level3 Question 1: How do journalists perceive MAI on the level of news organizations?

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level4 Journalists tend to adhere much value to transparency … Mean scores of total sample (N=1762) on the question: “News media should….” …especially concerning newsroom sender transparency, and less concerning product transparency and process transparency.

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level5 Journalists tend to adhere much value to audience interaction… Mean scores of total sample (N=1762) on the question: “News media should….” …especially when it comes to direct communication. However, active audience participation is valued less.

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level6 And there are clear international differences in the perceived importance of audience interaction

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level7 Moreover, perceptions depend on the type of news organization journalists are employed at… Table 1. Media segment effect on the view of media accountability. a-b, x-y Horizontally read, the mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level8 …and job position and age also affect perception on media accountability. Table 2. The effect of job position and age on views about media accountability. a-b; x-y Horizontally read, the mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level9 Question 2: What are good examples of news organization MAI in practice?

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level10 eEditor chat box get in contact with journalists every day from 6am to 9pm on the front page users can suggest topics, report mistakes, ask questions or give feedback it has increased the number of unique visitors, acts as an ombudsperson and a correction button Swedish newspaper Norran

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level11 Journalists’/company’s blogs Promotes transparency of sources and transparency of professional decision making. Gives insights to production processes. Easily implemented. Editors’ Blog of the BBC News Swiss local newspaper Interna Blog

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level12 La Repubblica domani La Repubblica domani is an open newsroom conference. It reveals news production processes as the most important editorial meetings are broadcasted online (not streamed live, but available online). The users can see how journalists justify their choices, comment the news and discuss the paper’s issues.

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level13 Correction or error buttons Major aspect open error management. Esp. in online publishing many tools that foster an open and transparent error management are available. Berliner Morgenpost “Leider falsch” / / Swiss newspaper Tagesanzeiger Swiss free newspaper 20Minuten Dutch public service broadcaster NOS’ website

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level14 Open News List The open newsroom policy of The Guardian is a remarkable concept. Next to many other tools, they offer their newslist to all users. Open Newslist: –users are able to see which stories are discussed or produced by the newspaper’s stuff or what the editors think about their coverage. –they get a notion of how the news is produced. –they can post what they think of the stories or suggest ideas – all user- friendly via Twitter or via . –it is easy and inexpensive to establish as it can be an embedded google doc

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level15 Readers’ Advisory Boards Includes the audience into reflection and production processes. Composed of readers representing the diversity of the audience. Their “task” is to attend panels in the newspaper’s headquarters and discuss their ideas, share their opinions and give feedback. Such tools ensure transparency, foster media literacy and have a high impact on the loyalty between user and medium. German boulevard newspaper BILD Austrian local newspaper Vorarlberger Nachrichten Swiss boulevard newspaper Sonntagsblick Catalan newspaper El Punt

July 2013Session 8 – MAI on the organizational level16 Reading assignment for news organization in practice Bichler, K., H. Harro-Loit, M. Karmasin and D. Kraus “Best Practice Guidebook”. MediaAct Workingpaper No. 14/2012. Accessed May 2, De Haan, Y Between Professional Autonomy and Public Responsibility. Accountability and Responsiveness in Dutch Media and Journalism. PhD diss., University of Amsterdam. García-Avilés, J.-A., J.-L. González-Esteban, A. Kaltenbrunner, M. Karmasin “Self-regulation and the new challenges in journalism: Comparative study across European countries”. Revista Latina de communication social, 66: EthicNet (2013): Collecion of codes of journalism ethics in Europe. Evers, H., H. Groenhart, J. Groesen “The News Ombudsman: Watchdog or Decoy?” In Studies for the Netherlands Press. Diemen: AMB. Heikkilä, H., D. Domingo, J. Pies, M. Glowacki, M. Kuś and O. Baisnée “Media Accountability Goes Online. A transnational study on emerging practices and innovations.” MediaAct Workingpaper No. 14/2012. Accessed May 2, Karlsson, M “Rituals of Transparency. Evaluating Online News Outlets Use of Transparency Rituals in the US, UK and Sweden.” Journalism Studies, 11: Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe The Online Media Self-Regulation Guidebook. Silverman, C Regret the Error. New York: Union Square Press.