Reimer 2016 the_journalist_turned_brand

Thejournalistturnedbrand:Howreportersbuildtheirprofiles

throughpersonalbranding.

JuliusReimer@julius_reimer

ECREA2016/6th ECCPrague,Nov.11th 2016

Personalbranding injournalism:atrend strongly discussed

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• Brems etal.2016• Bruns 2012• Canter2013,2015• Hanusch/Bruns 2016• Hedman 2015• Hedman/Djerf-Pierre2013• Hermida,2013• Holton/Molyneux 2015• Holton2016• Molyneux 2015• Molyneux/Holton2015• Mourão 2015• Schultz/Sheffer 2012a,2012b• Summ 2013• Tandoc/Vos 2016• Wiik/Hedman 2015

(Broad)definition

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Personalbranding...Practicesaimingatcreating“associationsinthemindsofcustomersandotherimportantconstituents[that]differentiatethebrandandestablish(totheextentpossible)competitivesuperiority”… (Keller/Lehmann,2006:740;cf.also,Aaker,1996;Chan-Olmsted/Cha,2008Esch,2002;Meffert/Burmann,2002;Siegert etal.,2011)

…injournalism…withintheboundariesofjournalisticnorms,logicsandconcepts(forthelargestpart,atleast)

Procedure

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LiteraturestudyDeductionofpotentialsemanticdimensionsofajournalist’sbrand(e.g.,roleconception,topics)

DocumentanalysisFurtherinductivedifferentiationorpooling,complementationorreductionBasedon290blogposts,media-journalisticarticlesandinterviews,conferencetalks,how-toguides andotherdocumentsofthemeta-journalisticdiscourse(inGermanandEnglish)aboutpersonalbrandinginjournalism

Practicesandtargetgroups

JournalisticperformancesassuchSelectionandpresentationofstories,information,opinions,etc.

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“Ifyouwriteaboutstuffinwhich[…] youdon’treallyhaveexpertise,you’rejustgoingtoturnoutamediocreproduct.Andthat’sgoingtoaffect

howyou’reperceivedinthelongrun.”GlennGreenwald,citedin:Baker2015:n.p.



Meta-communication/self-presentationCommunicationaboutone’sjournalisticperformancesandoneselfastheirproducer(e.g.,tweetspromotingone’slateststory,blogpostdescribingone’sjournalisticattitude,discussionsaboutjournalisticvaluesandapproachesonFacebook)

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“Iblogaboutmywork,whatI’vedone.Itrytomaketheproductionprocessalittlemoretransparentbecausethat’smyapproach:

journalismmustbeopen,approachableandtransparent.[…]Apartfromthat,Iwriteaboutthingsthatupsetme,thatbothermeorthat

I’vegotacertainopinionabout.”DanielBröckerhoff,citedinSchnitt 2013:3:20-3:30min.;owntranslation



Meta-communication/self-presentationCommunicationaboutone’sjournalisticperformancesandoneselfastheirproducer(e.g.,tweetspromotingone’slateststory,blogpostdescribingone’sjournalisticattitude,discussionsaboutjournalisticvaluesandapproachesonFacebook)

Targetgroups

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PeersEmployers, clients Audiences

Advertisers Sources,interviewpartners

Potentialgoal conflicts

Dimensions of differentiation

Distributionmedia(print,TV,radio,online)(Differentdegreesof)specialisationvs.generalisationonprint,TV,radioand/oronline

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Topicsandfieldsofexpertise(Differentdegreesof)specialisationvs.generalisationonmorethanonebeat,onebeat,anichewithinabeat

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“‘Iwantedtobuildsomethingthatwasdesignedtoplaytomystrengths’:[…] coveringtheinsandoutsof

biotechnology”.LukeTimmerman,citedinMullin2016:n.p.

“InTVandradiopiecesshe[Anorte Linsmaer;J.R.]reportsonawidevarietyoftopics:‘Specialise!’[…]Shecould

neverrelatetoadvicelikethat.”O’Daniel 2013a:n.p.;owntranslation

Topicsandfieldsofexpertise(Differentdegreesof)specialisationvs.generalisation onmorethanonebeat,onebeat,anichewithinabeatImplicitconnotationsofseriousnessorlightness/hardorsoftnews

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“Ithinkthatifyouwanttobetakenseriouslyasawoman,writeaboutseriousthingsandtalkaboutserioussubjects.”

EleanorMills,citedin:Albeanu 2014:n.p.

Topicsandfieldsofexpertise(Differentdegreesof)specialisationvs.generalisation onmorethanonebeat,onebeat,anichewithinabeatImplicitconnotationsofseriousnessorlightness/hardorsoftnewsMinorperceivedinconsistencies=opportunitiesforsurpriseanddifferentiation

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“Attheageof40,or50atthelatest,mostofthemeninjournalismfallintotherelevancetrap:TheyonlywanttowriteaboutObama,Putin,maybeZipras andtheEU

borders.Butdefinitelynotabouttopicsthathavetodowithstyleorpeople.[…] Smartwriter,dumbstuff – IwantedtointroducethatconceptinSwitzerland.”

MarkvanHuisseling citedin:Imseng 2016:n.p.;owntranslation

“Sometimesifyouactuallyaimataparticularlymalearea[shementionsbusinessandsports;J.R.]therecould

belotsofopportunities.”EleanorMills,citedin:Albeanu 2014:n.p.

Journalisticroleconception(cf.Heise etal.2014;Weischenberg etal.2006)

Inform&explain;criticise,control&engage;provideservice;entertainReportingstyle

Inageneralsense:ratherdistinctjournalisticgenres(cf.Schmidt/Weischenberg 1994:225–

232):objectivereporting/informationjournalism,interpretivejournalism,investigativejournalism,new/literary/gonzojournalism,precision&data(-driven)journalism,constructivejournalism,etc.Inapersonalsense:thejournalist’spersonalvoice/tone(emotional,humourous,highbrow,etc.)

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“[H]e[RogerEbert;J.R.]wasviewedasamoviecriticwith

thesoulofapoet”.Carr 2015:n.p.

“He[HarryEnten;J.R.]operatesalmostentirelyfromhiscomputer,crunchingfigures,aggregatingpollingdata,andsearchingforhistoricalindicators.Hispiecesarefullof

numbers,anexplanationofwhatthosenumbersmean,andapredictionaboutwheretheycouldbepointing.”

Vernon2016:n.p.

Presentationforms(cf.Schmidt/Weischenberg 1994:232–235)

Newsreport,feature,interview,editorial,commentary,review,etc.

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“Findaniche.Bythat,Imeanofferpresentationformsandformatsthatothersdon’t.”

Oswald2014:n.p.;owntranslation

Presentationforms(cf.Schmidt/Weischenberg 1994:232–235)

Newsreport,feature,interview,editorial,commentary,review,etc.Newlydevelopingformsonnewplatforms:live-bloggingonTwitter,live-streamingonPeriscope orFacebooklive,textingonWhatsApp,everythingonSnapchat...

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“MikeSchnoor [amediaconsultant;J.R.]advisesjournaliststotrainpresentationformsandalsooffer

producingvideosandlive-streaming”.Blaß 2016:n.p.;owntranslation

PersonalitytraitsDimensionsconveyedespeciallyinsocialinteraction:

Teamplayer vs.lonewolfLeadervs.followerTraditionalistvs.innovatorvs.rebelPersonofintegrityPersonwithroughedgesCynic…

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“Don’tbeanasshole.”Bröckerhoff 2014:n.p.;owntranslation

“Don’tbeajerk.”Conlin 2013:n.p.

Socio-political positionsLiberal/progressivevs.conservativeReligious…

SpecialskillsTechnicalexpertiseandcodingStatisticsanddatavisualisationExpertiseinnewsroommanagementAudienceengagementStrategicinnovation…

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Outerappearance(incl.voice,typicalgesturesorfacialexpressions,clothing,etc.)

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“She[MercedesBunz;JR]wearshorn-rimmedglasses,herhairiscombedbackwards– twoofhertrademarks”.

Bolz 2009:118;owntranslation


NetworksandcontactsInone’sfieldofcoverage:sourcesandinterviewpartners

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“Someofthealpha-journalistsaremarkedlysuccessfulandtalentednetworkerswhoalwaysobtainveritableandexclusiveInformationviatheirconnections”.

Weichert/Zabel 2007:42f.;owntranslation


NetworksandcontactsInone’sfieldofcoverage:sourcesandinterviewpartnersAmongaudiences:readers,viewers,followers,fans,etc.Injournalism:peersandpotentialclients/employers

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“Networksareimportantinjournalism– perhapsevenmoreimportantthaninotherprofessions– becausegettingajobinjournalismisabouttrust.Yougetthe

mostlucrativeandinterestingjobsviarecommendations.”

Bröckerhoff 2014:n.p.;owntranslation

Meta-communicativetechniques

Assertivetechniques(examples)Baskinginreflectedglory:enhancingone’sstatusthroughcontactswithimportantpeople,groups,eventsEmphasisingcompetenceandexpertiseEntitlements:talkingaboutone’sachievementsandtitlestosignalhighambitionsandstandardsBoosting:evaluatingothersinawaythatmakesoneselfseemsuperior

OneproactivelydefensivetechniquesUnderstatement(“fishingforcompliments”)

SomereactivelydefensivetechniquesfollowingaccusationsofwrongdoingApology, excuse, justification, refusal,etc.

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Strategiesofcombiningpositionsindifferentdimensions

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ConsciouscontradictionConservativeconsistency

Experimentalexpansion

SummaryPractices Journalistic performance Meta-communication

Meta-communicativetechniques

-Competence and expertise,

entitlements,basking inreflected glory,boosting,etc.

Modes Specialisation Generalisation

Dimensions ofdistinction

Distributionmedia, topics and fields of expertise,journalistic role conception,reporting style(general/personal),presentation forms,personality traits,socio-political positions,

special skills,outer appearace,networks and contactsCombinationstrategies

Conservativeconsistency

Consciouscontradictions

Experimentalexpansion

Targetgroups PeersEmployers,clients Audiences Sources,interview

partners Advertisers

ßà

&

Thank you!

JuliusReimer,M.A.Associate researcher @Hans-Bredow-Institutefor MediaResearchwww.hans-bredow-institut.de/de/node/4346

[email protected]@julius_reimer

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Reimer 2016 the_journalist_turned_brand