Fopnuus, nuuswaardes en organisasiekultuur : ’n gevallestudie van Maroela Media

Abstract

Fake news and its rapid distribution, through social media platforms among others, are phenomena that confront news organisations. Fake news also affects the routines and practices of news evaluation and selection and verification of facts. Journalists, may, for example, base their news decisions on news values that are, in turn, often related to the typical news preferences of the news organisation they work for. When the news values associated with fake news align with a news organisation’s news selection preferences, the established journalistic work routines in the newsroom are put to the test. The interaction between news values, fake news and a newsroom’s organisational culture can therefore contribute to or limit the selection and distribution of fake news by journalists. It is this phenomenon that was investigated in the context of Maroela Media, an online news organisation, as a case study to determine whether the journalistic practices in this organisation’s newsroom have been affected by fake news. A literature study was used to classify fake news and to link a news value(s) to each category. Subsequently, a qualitative content analysis was performed of the fake news-based articles, messages and tips sent to Maroela Media over a period of seven months. This analysis was aimed at determining which types of fake news, based on specific news values, are more likely to be sent to the news organisation. The literature study and the content analysis together formed the foundation for semi-structured interviews that were conducted with all of the journalists and editors of Maroela Media’s hard news team. The outcome led to a description of the interaction between the fake news phenomenon and the journalistic practices of Maroela Media’s newsroom. The empirical results of this study indicate that the phenomenon of fake news has not changed the journalistic practices of Maroela Media’s hard news team regarding news selection. This is in part because, in their news selection, the journalists and editors do not prioritise the news values that are prominent in the fake news articles, messages and tips sent to the news organisation. The study also shows that established routines, which are part of the organisational culture of the news organisation, are in place and are upheld by the journalists and editors. Existing, but largely undocumented processes for news prioritisation and fact verification, together with gatekeeping actions and judgment exercised by a staff member, therefore appear to prevent fake news before it is published.

Furthermore, it seems that journalistic ethics and ethical conduct are considered to be integral parts of Maroela Media's journalistic practices and organisational culture. The findings of the study suggest that an understanding of the news values that a news organisation favours, as well as elements of a news organisation’s work practices and organisational culture, together with strong journalistic ethics and ethical conduct potentially contribute to limit the distribution of fake news by the news organisation.