Paper short abstract:

Ethnographic tools can bring a different dimension to journalism—one that can help with the mounting challenges faced by journalists. Plus, in identifying the methods ethnographers employ that can help journalists, social scientists see their skills in a new light.

Paper long abstract:

Ethnographic tools can bring a different dimension to journalism—one that can help with the mounting challenges faced by journalists. Journalism is recognizing a need for reform and modernization. News producers and journalism schools are reckoning with the lack of diversity in news products, in the newsroom, and in the classroom. Working journalists are increasingly facing distrust from the communities they cover, leading to decreased engagement from readers and interviewees, as well as online harassment, particularly experienced by journalists of color and women. A history of legacy media not covering, or misrepresenting, marginalized communities has journalists trying to repair relationships with communities and trying to engage rather than extract. However, although representation, empathy and subjectivity help increase trust in news, these approaches also increase the odds of being accused of bias. Newsrooms, J-Schools, and journalism foundations are looking for solutions.

We see ethnographic methods in many of the “new” methodologies being promoted to solve the journalism industry’s challenges.

In my experience and research there are four major problem areas for the individual journalist: finding emerging stories; finding diverse sources; conducting meaningful interviews; and gaining trust. For each of these challenges there exist solutions pulled from ethnography.

And in reviewing the ethnographic methods that are helping journalism's modern challenges, the ethnographer will also see their skills in new light, and the possibility of contributing to media themselves. This offers researchers opportunity to get their work in the public eye.