Study title

Interpretation, Objectivity and Autonomy in Journalists' Work in Finland 2013

Alternative Title

Journalists Have Their Say

Dataset ID Number

FSD3041

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3041
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3041

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Reunanen, Esa (University of Tampere. Tampere Research Centre for Journalism, Media and Communication (COMET))

Abstract

The study examined how Finnish reporters view their role in society, what they thought about interpretive journalism, and how they viewed their own freedom of expression in their work. The study was funded by the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation.

Relating to interpretive or opinion journalism, the respondents were asked whether they were encouraged to or prohibited from writing columns and comments, how often they wrote different pieces (e.g. newspieces, columns, leading articles), and to what extent they agreed with a number of statements (e.g. "I would gladly write interpretive or commentary pieces, but all my time goes into news reporting and other required tasks"). Further questions surveyed the importance of different functions of journalism (reporting, backgrounding, participation in discussion) in the respondents' work and in journalism generally, changes in the content of the newspaper in the last decade, and assessments of potential changes in the content in the future.

Views on the truthfulness, fairness, and objectivity of reporting were examined by asking the respondents the extent to which they agreed with several statements (e.g. "I strive to present different points of view fairly, even when I personally have a clear opinion on the matter", "A reporter cannot present things 'as is', because the focus, sources and viewpoint of an article are always based on consideration", "In a newspiece, a person who makes a claim is responsible for its truthfulness. The reporter is only responsible for citing the source correctly.")

Transparency and openness in revealing own values and opinions were surveyed. The respondents were asked how widely they were prepared to share their opinions on different issues to different people, whether they wished to remain anonymous or to be known as a journalist, and whether they thought that reporters should reveal their opinions on topics they write about.

Finally, the respondents were asked how often in the previous 12 months their piece had been modified or left unpublished because of the opinions or values it contained, and to what extent they agreed with a number of statements about autonomy at work (e.g. "News editors or producers decide the majority of topics and perspectives of the pieces I write").

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, job title/tasks, and length of career in journalism as well as circulation of the newspaper.

Keywords

autonomy at work; censorship; communication personnel; freedom of speech; journalism; journalists; news; newspaper press; values

Topic Classification

• Natural sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Media (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Reunanen, Esa (University of Tampere. Tampere Research Centre for Journalism, Media and Communication (COMET))

Time Period Covered

2013

Collection Dates

2013-03 – 2013-04

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

News reporters and columnists of Finnish daily newspapers as well as reporters in joint editorial offices of these newpapers (excluding news editors, photojournalists and graphic designers)

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Total universe/Complete enumeration

The survey was sent to the news reporters and columnists of Finnish daily newspapers as well as reporters in joint editorial offices of these newpapers. The survey was not sent to news editors, photojournalists or graphic designers. A total of 964 persons received the survey, out of whom 330 responded.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

34.2

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

2.0

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Reunanen, Esa (University of Tampere): Interpretation, Objectivity and Autonomy in Journalists' Work in Finland 2013 [dataset]. Version 2.0 (2018-07-17). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3041

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Reunanen, Esa & Koljonen, Kari (2014). Toimittajan sanansijat. Tampere: Tampere University Press.

Related Publications

Reunanen, Esa & Koljonen, Kari (2014). Toimittajan sanansijat. Tampere: Tampere University Press.

Reunanen, Esa (2014). Toimittajan poliittinen identiteetti. Aktiivinen aatteenkannattaja, passiivinen puhelinpylväs vai jotain ihan muuta? Teoksessa Journalistin vapaus, toim. Heikki Luostarinen & Pentti Raittila. Tampere: Vastapaino.