News-Seekers vs. Gate-Keepers

Sharon E. Jarvis, Maegan Stephens
2015 International Journal of Signs and Semiotic Systems  
Traditional research on gatekeeping examines how journalists, editors, and publishers construct and position information to become news. Opportunities for interactivity in online news outlets, however, are creating space for audience members to also play this role. This article analyzes the tone and scope of the stories appearing on the print front-pages in the online most-read lists in twelve news outlets. Findings reveal how news-seekers prefer serious soft news articles, stories that
more » ... readers prominently, and fact-laden updates. These trends are interpreted in light of an elitist approach to gatekeeping versus a more egalitarian mindset and the authors conclude that the articles promoted by news-seekers are far less frivolous than feared.
doi:10.4018/ijsss.2015070104 fatcat:i7g4elrmrrhbhdftk5kue2isbm