Is a journalist primarily a watch dog for society? A hunting dog? A rescue dog? Or should today's journalist be more of a shepherd? Associate professor Peter Bro from University of Southern Denmark had stopped the guessing game - and done something to explore what we really want. As readers, viewers, users. Or customers. As people.
His research, based on questionnaires to a representative selection of 1.700 Danes from 2008, shows that our favourite dog is the watch dog on society (75 percent), who passively keep people of state and power in check - but also that we already get this to a high extent (62 percent). When it comes to the hunting dog - the aggressive, and highly active journalist to unfold and reveal stories, and demand action from decision makers - we demand this dog to a 61 percent level, but is fed with it to a 67 percent level in the news. So maybe the aggressive hunter is on too loose a line?
When it comes to the docile shepherd dog, who includes citizens in the news mediation process (asks our opinions, arranges polls, vox pops, and to-way-communication) we get this to a 49 percent level - but would really like it to a 72 percent level. And finally the rescue dog - the ever alert St Bernard dog with the tiny whisky barrel around his neck, if you will - to scent, track and help citizens in current distress, and encourages us to show societal commitment. The poll shows that we ask this of journalists to a 60 percent level, but only receive it to a 39 percent level.
Apparently readers/viewers/users/customers/people are not getting what they really want in the news, which seems to be a combination of the full dog kennel - with a little less hunting dog, with an emphasis on the watch dog and shepherd - and a little more rescue dog than is currently the case. Me? I would take the St Bernard with a little keg of single malt any day. In or out of distress.
For further information about Peter Bro's published research, see:
http://www.sdu.dk/staff/ppe.aspx
His research, based on questionnaires to a representative selection of 1.700 Danes from 2008, shows that our favourite dog is the watch dog on society (75 percent), who passively keep people of state and power in check - but also that we already get this to a high extent (62 percent). When it comes to the hunting dog - the aggressive, and highly active journalist to unfold and reveal stories, and demand action from decision makers - we demand this dog to a 61 percent level, but is fed with it to a 67 percent level in the news. So maybe the aggressive hunter is on too loose a line?
When it comes to the docile shepherd dog, who includes citizens in the news mediation process (asks our opinions, arranges polls, vox pops, and to-way-communication) we get this to a 49 percent level - but would really like it to a 72 percent level. And finally the rescue dog - the ever alert St Bernard dog with the tiny whisky barrel around his neck, if you will - to scent, track and help citizens in current distress, and encourages us to show societal commitment. The poll shows that we ask this of journalists to a 60 percent level, but only receive it to a 39 percent level.
Apparently readers/viewers/users/customers/people are not getting what they really want in the news, which seems to be a combination of the full dog kennel - with a little less hunting dog, with an emphasis on the watch dog and shepherd - and a little more rescue dog than is currently the case. Me? I would take the St Bernard with a little keg of single malt any day. In or out of distress.
For further information about Peter Bro's published research, see:
http://www.sdu.dk/staff/ppe.aspx