“But then the war started”: The value of diversity in editorial practices during times of war and crisis

„I wtedy zaczęła się wojna”: wartość różnorodności w praktykach redakcyjnych podczas wojny i kryzysu

Abstract: In this article, we analyse the impact of disruptive media events on the perceived value of diversity in editorial practices, with a specific focus on the Polish media debate following the onset of the Ukrainian-Russian war in February 2022. We do this based on a unique dataset derived from in-depth interviews with eight editors representing four different newsrooms conducted before, immediately after, and approximately one year after the start of the war. Our research answers the question of whether newsrooms can defend the value of diversity during the coverage of war and crisis. We also assess the impact of the changed geopolitical context, characterised by nation-building mobilisation and public sentiments of solidarity with Ukrainians, on editorial decisions to mute, delay, or opt out of publishing certain stories. We contribute to research on the epistemologies of journalistic news production during times of crisis, news diversity, and the role of the media in democratic societies.

Bibliography:

1. 1. Anagnostopulu A., Migranci ekonomiczni, czyli kto?, Business Insider, 29 November 2021, https://businessinsider.com.pl/gospodarka/migranci-ekonomiczni-czyli-kto-oto-warunki-zycia-osob-ktore-szukaja-w-polsce/258xs64.2. Baden C., Springer N., Conceptualizing viewpoint diversity in news discourse, “Journalism” 2017, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 176-194, https://doi-org.ezp.sub.su.se/10.1177/1464884915605028.

   3. Boesman J., Van Gorp B., An Insidious Poison or a Door to the Story?, “Journalism Practice” 2017, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 559-576, DOI: 10.1080/17512786.2016.1159920.

   4. Bolin G., Ståhlberg P., Managing Meaning in Ukraine: Information, Communication, and Narration since the Euromaidan Revolution, Cambridge 2023, https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/14147.001.0001.

   5. Callison C., Young M.L., Reckoning: Journalism’s Limits and Possibilities, Journalism and Political Comm Unbound, Oxford 2020, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190067076.001.0001.

   6. Charmaz K., Constructing grounded theory. 2nd edition, Thousand Oaks 2014.

   7. Czuchnowski W., Korzeniowska K., Poland’s free media is shrinking, “International Press Institute”, 3 February 2022, https://ipi.media/polands-free-media-is-shrinking-gazeta-wyborcza/.

   8. Ekström M., Lewis S.C., Westlund O., Epistemologies of digital journalism and the study of misinformation, “New Media & Society” 2020, vol 22, no. 2, pp. 205-212, https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819856914.

   9. Entman R.M., Cascading Activation: Contesting the White House’s frame after 9/11, “Political Communication” 2003, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 415-432.

   10. Erling B., As Polish public radio becomes politicised, presenters are creating independent crowdfunded alternatives, “Notes from Poland”, 20 July 2020, https://notesfrompoland.com/2020/07/20/as-polish-public-radio-becomes-politicised-presenters-are-creating-independent-crowdfunded-alternatives/.

   11. Erling B., Kozielski M., Niedbalski M., Atak Rosji na Ukrainę w polskich mediach. Reakcja na wojnę, Press, 25 February 2022, https://www.press.pl/tresc/69539,polskie-media-i-wojna_-inne-ramowki_-podcasty_-flaga-ukrainy-i-rezygnacja-z-rosyjskich-seriali.

   12. Ferris-Rotman A., Ukraine’s Women Refugees Face the Harsh Reality of Poland’s Abortion Restrictions, Time, 21 June 2022, https://time.com/6188502/ukraine-women-poland-abortion-ban/.

   13. Ukraine war hands Poland new international role, France24.com, 21 February 2023, https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230221-ukraine-war-hands-poland-new-international-role.

   14. Deklaracja redakcyjna, Gazeta.pl, n.d., https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/o_nas/7,174552,27943986,nie-musimy-byc-pomiedzy-by-opisywac-rzeczywistosc-deklaracja.html.

   15. Gober G., Ohia-Nowak M., Globalny Projekt Monitorowania Mediów 2022. Polska. Raport Krajowy, Whomakesthenews.org, January 2022, https://whomakesthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GMMP-POLSKA-2020.pdf.

   16. Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, 5 January 2022, https://hfhr.pl/en/news/situation-on-the-polish-belarusian-border.

   17. Katz E., Liebes T., “No more peace!” How disaster, terror and war have upstaged media events, “International Journal of Communication” 2007, vol. 1, pp. 157-166, https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/44.

   18. Kitch C., Mourning in America: Ritual, redemption, and recovery in news narrative after September 11, “Journalism Studies” 2003, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 213-224.

   19. Kirby P., Has Putin’s war failed and what does Russia want from Ukraine?, BBC.com, 24 February 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589.

   20. Mikulska A., Kojzar K., Rumieńczyk B., Wandas M., Szósty dzień na granicy. Ogrom pomocy, fala rasizmu, OKO:Press, 1 March 2022, https://twitter.com/oko_press/status/1498795515894546437.

   21. Njai A., Torres M., Matache M., Ukraine: The Refugee Double Standard. Foreign Policy in Focus, Foreign Policy in Focus, 15 March 2022, https://fpif.org/ukraine-the-refugee-double-standard/.

   22. Nossek H., News media-media events: Terrorist acts as media events, “Communications” 2008, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 313-330.

   23. Pacewicz P., Szymczak J., Homofobia PiS. Jak rozbudzali nienawiść do LGBT prezydent, prezes, ministrowie, posłowie, OKO.press, 28 July 2019, https://oko.press/homofobia-pis-jak-rozbudzali-nienawisc-do-lgbt-prezydent-prezes-ministrowie-poslowie-33-cytaty.

   24. Plaut S., Reshaping the Borders of Journalism, “Journalism Practice” 2017, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1-32, DOI: 10.1080/17512786.2015.1092391.

   25. Riegert K., Olsson E.-K., The importance of ritual in crisis journalism, “Journalism Practice” 2007, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 143-158.

   26. Grabiec: Temat imigrantów pogrąży PiS, Rp.pl, 5 July 2023, https://www.rp.pl/polityka/art38698271-grabiec-temat-imigrantow-pograzy-pis.

   27. Unjustified firing of journalists from Poland’s state broadcaster, RSF, 3 February 2020, https://rsf.org/en/unjustified-firing-journalists-poland-s-state-broadcaster.

   28. Schiffter K., Poland’s answer to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, International Bar Association, 22 April 2022, https://www.ibanet.org/polands-response-to-ukrainians-fleeing-the-russian-invasion.

   29. Steensen S., Journalism’s epistemic crisis and its solution: Disinformation, datafication and source criticism, “Journalism” 2019, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 185-189, https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884918809271.

   30. Stolarek J.M., Poland: Freedom of the press in free fall, Heinrich Böll Foundation, 8 May 2020, https://eu.boell.org/en/2020/05/08/poland-freedom-press-free-fall.

   31. Thorbjørnsrud K., Figenschou T.U., Consensus and dissent after terror: Editorial policies in times of crisis, “Journalism” 2018, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 333-348.

   32. Tondo L., Strzyżyńska W., We understand what war means: Poles rush to aid Ukraine’s refugees, The Guardian, 5 Mar 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/mar/05/poland-rush-to-aid-ukraine-refugees-russia-war.

   33. Aktualna sytuacja granicy ukraińsko-polskiej, Ukrainian in Poland, 18 July 2023, https://www.ukrainianinpoland.pl/how-many-ukrainians-have-crossed-the-ukrainian-polish-border-since-the-beginning-of-the-war-current-data-pl/.

   34. Uusitalo N., Valaskivi K., Sumiala J., Epistemic modes in news production: How journalists manage ways of knowing in hybrid media events involving terrorist violence, “Journalism” 2022, vol. 23, no. 9, pp. 1811-1827, https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849211015601.

   35. Waisbord S., Journalism, risk, and patriotism, [in:] Journalism after September, vol. 11, B. Zelizer, S. Allan (eds.), London, New York 2022, pp. 201-219.

   36. Wiseman J., Democracy Declining: Erosion of Media Freedom in Poland. Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) Press Freedom Mission to Poland (November-December 2020), Mission Report, 11 February 2021, https://ipi.media/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/20210211_Poland_PF_Mission_Report_ENG_final.pdf.

   37. Zandberg E., Neiger M., Between the nation and the profession: Journalists as members of contradicting communities, “Media, Culture & Society” 2005, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 131-141.

PDF: Download