Newsroom Culture

Newsroom culture refers to the assimilation of unwritten workplace rules and shared assumptions regarding values, beliefs, and practices. Unlike climate, which can vary between organizations and change with each leader, newsroom culture is embedded into the customs and mores of the profession and evolves gradually. Culture is [Page 1145]a sociological feature of all workplaces, a function of human interaction.

What makes newsroom culture significant is its influence on how news is determined and reported. Unlike some fields, journalism lacks explicit definitions to establish professional boundaries or standards boards to enforce norms. Instead, journalists depend on consensus established through peer interactions in newsrooms to define news and resolve matters of practice. Competing television stations carefully scrutinize each other’s shows in hope that they stand out, but not ...