Den mest jämställda redaktionen jag varit på. En kvalitativ studie av kvinnliga journalisters upplevelser av genus på kulturredaktioner inom public service

Abstract

Aim of thesis: The purpose of this essay is to investigate if and how women journalists working for culture desks of Swedish public service media feel they are affected by gendered routines and rituals in their editorial work. Furthermore, we wish to investigate whether the professional ideals of culture journalism, like the ideals of journalism in general, are affected by gendered expectations. The study examines the following research questions: 1. How are gendered routines expressed in editorial work? 2. How is editorial culture shaped by interactions, expectations and professional identities in relation to gender? 3. How do cultural journalists perceive their professional role in relation to gender? Theoretical framework: To gain an understanding of the journalists' experiences, we have chosen to analyse them based on Löfgren Nilsson's (2010) concept of how gender is created within organisations, applied to journalism. The theory is based on Acker's (1990) model of how gender structures are formed, maintained and reproduced within organisations. We also use theories of horizontal and vertical segregation. Methods: The study is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with six women journalists with various positions at the culture desks of Swedish public service radio and television. Results: The results of the study show that gendered structures do not appear to exist to the same extent at public service cultural desks as in regular newsrooms. Instead, the respondents’ answers to our questions show tendencies towards subtle and informal gendered expectations and interactions. It is clear that the ideals of cultural journalism are not governed by the same gender coding as the ideals of journalism in general. Based on our results, it rather seems that cultural journalism is characterised by feminine characteristics. That being said, male ideals are also present, such as being active rather than passive, quick and ‘taking up space’.