The origins of the gatekeeper concept date back to the 1940s. Kurt Lewin examined the psychological and non-psychological factors that influence how food ends on the family table. Lewin came up with crucial findings as he described his channel theory and the term of a gatekeeper – a person that decides what items will be selected for the use of a small group. An important attempt to reinterpret the gatekeeper study was written by David M. White, who applied the theory to the domain of mass communication. However, White’s understanding has been challenged by other authors since. In order to find out whether the gatekeeping concept is still applicable to the journalistic practice in the Czech Republic, two arguments will be made. The first one is based on the article by A. Z. Bass and the second is from the study of W. Gieber. The arguments will be elaborated before their application to the Czech practice.
Before introducing the two arguments, a short explanation of White’s work is important, as it is challenged by both authors. The research of David M. White concludes that news travels through certain communication channels. These areas are affected by so-called “gates.” White saw any person in a newspaper office as a gatekeeper. For him, the story is transmitted from one person to another. To prove his point, he uses as an example a non-metropolitan newspaper, with special emphasis placed on a telegraph editor.
Now, onto the first argument. Bass challenges White’s theory with an example of the hierarchy of the UN Radio, where the emphasis is put on the collection of news. According to Bass, White’s study fails as the telegraph editor is not a key decision maker in the communication chain. His argument stands on the introduction of the Double-Action Internal Newsflow. In this model, the focus is on the “news gathering” process that includes reporters, writers and chief editors. These people, who are a part of the central news desk, collect information and determine whether they receive something newsworthy or not. Bass also argues against the theory of J. T. McNelly that follows White’s research because he does not agree that all gatekeepers treat the news in the same manner. He concludes that the focus of research should not be on the processing level (translating and editing the news), but rather on the news gathering level, as he believes that these communicators make the most significant news decisions.
W. Gieber also works with the research data of D.M. White. He attempts to answer the question of White’s study of how subjective news actually are. He is extremely critical of the perception of the telegraph editor. Gieber sees the editor as a task-oriented person, meaning his role in the news selection process is more passive. For him, the editor does not provide any critical evaluation of the incoming news nor possesses knowledge of his audience. Therefore, he examines other gatekeepers, more specifically reporters and sources. With the city hall example, he proves that both of these gatekeepers are controlled by the frame that comes from the community the communicator is a member of. When the communicator is caught in a frame, the proper goals of media are forgotten. Therefore, reporters have to always keep in mind that they serve the audience, not the people above them. Gieber concludes that news are only as subjective as the social forces and extra-personal forces affecting the author of the news are.
The Czech Republic as a state has gone through various state forms throughout the years. This fact affected its structure same as the journalistic practice. The most recent form – a democratic republic – is alike to other western states in Europe. To demonstrate the practice, Bass’s model of Double-Action Internal Newsflow will be used. The raw news is gathered from several sources. Besides, the wire agencies and sources in the form of people, the internet also has a big role in the society. Czech publishers encourage their readers to send them information, photos or videos from events where no journalists were present. Therefore, even a normal citizen can contribute to the communication flow and become a journalist. The news gathered in the agency of the publisher continue to the news processor. At this step, the difference can be spotted as opposing psychological forces causing resistance towards the newsflow may occur.
Figure 1 – The model of Double-Action Internal Newsflow – A.Z. Bass (1969)
Today, the journalistic practice in the Czech Republic faces an issue of frames and subjectivity that are closely related to the ideas of Gieber. The newspaper publishing companies have been bought by Czech and Slovakian billionaires. One of them, Andrej Babiš is currently the prime minister of the Czech Republic. His portfolio contains MAFRA publishing company, which includes the most read newspapers such as Mladá Fronta Dnes and Lidové Noviny. Coming back to Bass’ model, the gatekeepers of previously mentioned newspapers can be found at the “Action 2.”
People like chief editors, managers of the newspaper and owners decide what news will make it to the readers at the moment. In comparison to Gieber’s criticism of White’s study, the editors in MAFRA are not only task oriented but actively selecting news. The overall practice is affected by the frame that is ordered by the agenda of the owner. In case of MAFRA, it is possible to talk about the political agenda of the prime minister.
These facts are made on examples that occurred in the past. The wave of protests and strikes that Andrej Babiš has had to face throughout his political mandate have been always moderated in his newspapers. The first demonstration that filled up the Wenceslas square (approximately 80 thousand people) was not mentioned in the newspapers he owns the day after. A guide for maintaining your car was published instead. If we take into account Gieber’s arguments here, the frame that could be used is “not harming Andrej Babiš’s political presence.”
The emphasis on the news gathering now takes place on the internet. The journalists that could not handle the “splendid-isolation,” a term that Gieber uses for description of reporters’ limitations set up by their bosses, started their own media projects. Internet televisions and news are on the rise. However, the framing issue continues as many of these projects determine the significant space to criticism of the prime minister. For example, a website called ECHO writes news against Andrej Babiš and his political party at least four time per day. Therefore, the gatekeeper in this case is again someone who sets the agenda behind the project. Same goes for Bass’s model where the focus is in the “Action 2.”
The next example is associated with a recent emergent of fake news. Czech-Russian conspiracy websites like sputniknews.com target elders who are on social media. Their frame attempts to convince readers of the idea of leaving the European Union. The journalistic practice of these sites is based on spinning the objectivity of news. Therefore, the general public craves reliable news sources. When the selection of the news becomes obvious even in the most read newspapers, people lose their trust in the mass media. The ultimate rationale of the press is broken. The reporters are not seen as servants of the audience, an idea that Gieber implies, but more as the slaves of politicians and lobbyists.
The way how the gatekeeping concept applies to the Czech environment fits well with both authors’ arguments. By emphasizing Bass’s approach, the focus on the gathering of news should create an honest social sphere for public. The readers need intelligent and reliable gatekeepers who protect them from fake news and propaganda. Therefore, this can only work when journalists are secured from frames and pressure that comes from the higher positioned individuals and their political agendas.
With today’s fast-paced media environment, the gatekeeping is more essential more than ever. While White’s concept fails here (gatekeepers do not treat the news same on each level), the theories of Bass and Gieber are applicable to the current journalism practice in the Czech Republic. By taking them into account, a new attempt to refine the damaged reputation of the Czech newspapers can begin.
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