[Commlist] CfP: Strategic Communication and the Future of Journalism

Call for Papers: Strategic Communication and the Future of Journalism

Dr Giuliana Tiripelli and Professor Stuart Price, of the Media Discourse 
Centre, are organising a panel submission for the conference "Journalism 
2020: the (ir)relevance of journalism and the future of journalism 
studies", September 11-13, 2020 Vienna, Austria 
(https://ecrea.eu/page-18206/7795095).

The theme of the panel is "Strategic Communication and the Future of 
Journalism".

This panel aims to bring together a set of multidisciplinary 
contributions on the role of journalism, as it attempts to intervene in 
debates shaped by strategic communication. Strategic communication is a 
powerful mode of 'information-based' operations designed to exploit 
attitudes and manipulate behaviours among audiences (Schmid 2014). The 
research questions set by the panel are:

1 - can journalism still achieve its 'moral' aims vis-a-vis the intense, 
multilevel applications of strategic, self-serving information 
operations conducted by state, commercial, and political actors?

2 - how can journalism change and adapt, in order to achieve these moral 
aims in these strategically managed contexts?

3 - following newer definitions of strategic communication, should 
journalism itself become "strategic" by producing purposeful 
communication in order to achieve its legitimate institutional goals 
(Zerfass et al 2018)?

The organisers welcome innovative analyses of those 'polarised' public 
debates, in which strategic communication efforts are usually more 
intense (e.g. social and political conflicts, elections, terrorism, 
international relations, technology, health and lifestyle, religion, 
crime, climate, racism, peace building, migration), which can reveal how 
journalism is, or is not adapting to strategic challenges, while 
adhering to its traditional duty to inform the public and promote 
democratic life. Papers highlighting approaches being used by 
journalists to counter the strategic exploitation of the web's 
structural affordances and dynamics (algorithms, personalisation, etc.) 
by partisan entities, are particularly welcome. Innovative approaches to 
ideas of strategic communication, which highlight its potential 
contribution to enhancing the relevance of journalism, are also 
acceptable. Papers exploring this question could include studies of 
partnerships between journalism and organisations/institutions adopting 
purposive communication strategies (e.g. the police, local and 
governmental authorities), which have worked well for both partners in 
achieving their respective goals. Finally, papers could offer critical 
analyses of cases in which such collaborations have failed, and 
evaluations of cases in which journalism has been an obstacle in 
institutional and organisational efforts to manage crises and promote 
social progress through strategic communication.

Please send a short abstract (300 words) by the 7th of February to 
(giulianatiripelli /at/ gmail.com).
If you are interested in discussing your idea for a paper before this 
deadline, please get in touch with Dr Tiripelli.


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