Revisiting the Hierarchy of Influences on Journalism in a Transitional Context: When the Social System Level Prevails

Authors

  • Dalia Elsheikh Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.
  • Daniel Jackson Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.
  • Nael Jebril Bournemouth University

Keywords:

hierarchy of influences, Egyptian journalists, journalistic autonomy, role perceptions, Transitional Journalism

Abstract

In this article, we use Shoemaker and Reese’s hierarchy of influences (HOI) model as a framework to investigate the ways in which Egyptian journalists perceive the influences exerted on them in the context of the post-Arab Spring transition. Our findings show that perceptions of limitations to journalism practice can extend to all levels in the HOI model and that journalistic autonomy is particularly impeded due to factors at the social system level. This leads to an adaptation of the HOI model as we find that the perceived closure of the public sphere and a complicated network of clientelism at the social system level has impacted journalism practice negatively in Egypt and has a wider influence on the rest of the four levels in the model. In other words, routines, individuals, organizations, and social institutions all seem to mediate the social system’s influence on journalistic behavior.

Author Biographies

Dalia Elsheikh, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.

Dalia Elsheikh, PhD, is Senior Lecturer in journalism in the Department of Journalism and Communication at Bournemouth University, UK.

Daniel Jackson, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.

Daniel Jackson is Professor of Media and Communication in the Department of Journalism and Communication at Bournemouth University, UK.

Nael Jebril, Bournemouth University

Nael Jebril is an Associate Professor at the Doha institute for graduate studies.

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Published

2024-07-29

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Section

Articles