Improvisation and Entrepreneurial Journalism: Reimagining Innovation

Area of Science:

• Journalism Studies
• Innovation Management
• Entrepreneurship Research

Background:

• Journalism faces evolving challenges, leading to increased focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Existing institutional frameworks often promote a narrow, outcome-oriented view of journalistic innovation.
• There is a need to critically examine current understandings of innovation and entrepreneurship within journalism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically interrogate the prevalent understanding of journalistic innovation and entrepreneurship.
• To propose a more process-oriented approach to understanding these phenomena in journalism.
• To introduce concepts like effectuation, improvisation, and becoming as analytical lenses.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on journalism innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Analysis of experimental research from a researcher-maker perspective.
• Case study of participation in a journalism innovation accelerator program.

Main Results:

• Identified a prevalent linear, rational, and outcome-oriented understanding of journalism innovation.
• Demonstrated the limitations of this prevalent understanding through practical research.
• Highlighted the passionate and improvisational realities of innovative journalistic work.

Conclusions:

• Advocates for a shift from outcome-oriented to process-oriented theories in journalism innovation.
• Effectuation, improvisation, and becoming offer valuable frameworks for understanding journalistic entrepreneurship.
• A process-oriented approach provides deeper insights into the dynamic nature of journalistic innovation.