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A Study on the Use of Press Releases as a Gatekeeping Process, Focusing on the Gwangju Metropolitan City Press

권신오 1 Kim Kyun Soo 2

1전남대학교 신문방송학과
2전남대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study aims to clarify how reporters active in Gwangju Metropolitan City use press releases for the preparation of news accounts and to determine the extent of their influence on the news articles that they prepare. For this purpose this study conducted a questionnaire survey on 500 reporters for newspapers, radio and television stations or networks, and news agencies in Gwangju District. First, it was found that reporters in Gwangju District produced on average 5.6 news articles per day. In addition, the survey results indicated that they received 18.4 press releases per daily news beat, among which 35.4% were used as news articles. Further, it was found that using press releases as a tip to suggest coverage of a topic accounted for 36.2%; re-writing a release in the journalist’s own words, 44.8%; and quoting part of the release in a news article, 18.9%. When different uses are factored in, 63.8% of the press releases are used for news article preparation. Second, it was found that utilization varied by press type, from newspapers (40.4%) through news agencies (30.6%) down to broadcasting (25.6%). There was a negative correlation between reporters’ wage levels and their use of press releases. However, the more that reporters thought that editing intereference was severe from an outside institution or a corporate proprietor, the higher was the likelihood of reliance on press releases. There was no correlation between an affiliated division and position and the use of a press release. Third, it was found that gender showed the biggest difference in the relationship between a reporter’s personal profile and the use of press releases, with a variance between 32.1% of male reporters and 50.8% of their female counterparts. However, other factors such as the length of service in the press, the journalists’ undergraduate majors (specifically, whether they took degrees in Journalism and Mass Communications), and their closeness with publicists on a specific news beat were found not to show statistically significant correlations to reliance on press releases. Even job satisfaction was found to have a negative correlation with the use of press releases. However, the complexity of job satisfaction measures due to the intersection of personal and structural factors suggests a need for further research and analysis.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.