Maakuntalehden toimittajan toimintatila teknis-rationaalisessa ajassa

Abstract

This dissertation deals with how journalists in regional newspapers conceptualize their profession, jobs and lives — their ‘action scope’ — in the dynamics of a newspaper organization and with which goals, expectations and interests they interpret these dynamics and work there. In this dissertation, action scope means broad autonomy and the possibility to influence work, the goals of work and how work is done, including planning.The theoretical framework, the paradigm, of the study is grounded on critical realism. Critical management studies and institutional theory is one cornerstone of the paradigm, and the regulation theory of action is another cornerstone. The paradigm is supported by organizational-theoretical discussions about power, trust and emotionality.The study uses an ethnographical approach and the material consists of observations, thematic interviews and numerous unofficial discussions. The interpretation of the material is based on critical management studies. The results obtained in the study have been treated as two main categories, derived from 19 themes. The main categories are ‘editorship’ and the context of action.The aims of journalists are expressed as editorship where journalists want to fulfil themselves in good working conditions and under tolerable pressure without organizational or other external constraints. According to journalists, the major shortcomings or contradictions of editorship are associated with the increase in entertainment, the isomorphism of newspapers and the accentuation of national content in regional newspapers. Official feedback was considered problematic.The context of action means structures and includes factors which have an indirect impact on work. The perception of the context of action depends on itsinterpretation. According to the study, the management of a newspaper company has the power to interpret the context, and journalists are institutionalized into this practice. If the action scope assessed by means of editorship is broad and of high quality, journalists obviously lack the resources to interpret the context of action. The institutionalized right to interpret the context grants power without anybody paying attention to it.

Lintula hakee väitöstutkimuksessaan vastauksia siihen, kuinka maakuntalehden toimittajat kokevat ja jäsentävät ammattinsa, työnsä ja elämänsä – toimintatilansa — lehtiorganisaation dynamiikassa. Toisaalta hän etsii myös vastauksia siihen, millaisin tavoittein, odotuksin ja intressein he tätä dynamiikkaa tulkitsevat ja siinä työtään tekevät. Toimittajuuden oleelliset osatekijät, ammattiylpeys, työstä saatava tyydytys sekä velvollisuudentunto, ovat ne tekijät, jotka ovat auttaneet toimittajia jaksamaan arjessa.– Toimittajan työnkuva on 1960-luvulta tultaessa nykypäivään selkeästi ammatillistunut. Viestintävälineiden kehittyminen ja niiden helppokäyttöisyys sekä esimerkiksi työn suunnitelmallisuuden lisääntyminen ovatkin johtaneet siihen, että osa toimittajista pitää itseään jo ”pikkuvirkamiehinä”. Sisätyön luonteen vuoksi ”kentälle” menemisen kynnys onkin ollut nousussa, Lintula toteaa.