Publication details
Gender and newsroom culture: Working conditions in a regional news desk of the Czech Television
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| Year of publication | 2014 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | This conference presentation introduces the very first findings about gendered characteristics of Czech newsroom culture in a case study of a regional news desk of the Czech public service television. The central question is whether the culture of the newsroom is gendered and reflects the so-called "masculine" traits of its two male leaders. It also asks if the newsroom culture creates different conditions of work for male and female editors. The study is framed in feminist theories and contextualized within findings of feminist media scholars on newsroom culture and the status of female and male journalists in it. The presentation is based on qualitative data obtained in participant observation and semi-structured individual interviews. This case study has a number of important findings. In spite of the fact that the regional Czech television news desk is led by two men, newsroom culture is not primarily defined by gender but each (male) editor’s personal characteristics. While one formed a culture with the prevalence of masculine aspects, the other created a culture with the predominance of feminine traits – connected to increased democracy and parity. However, the old boys’ network advantaging male editors existed in both types of newsroom culture. Similarly in both cultures men possessed a prestigious professional status unlike women and male characteristics were considered the journalistic norm. |
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