ISOJ 2013

1. Philip M. Napoli
Director
Donald McGannon Communication Research Center
Fordham University
New York, NY
Media Policy Fellow
New America Foundation
Washington, DC

2. Rationale
 Large body of research on the dynamics of
advertiser pressures on traditional media
 Direct and indirect influences
 Similar literature addressing online media
has yet to develop
 Focus has instead been on issues of economic
viability

3. Objectives
 To highlight the need for more research
 To consider extent to which existing research
on traditional media can inform research on
online contexts
 To put forth some propositions about the
dynamics of advertiser pressures on online
journalism
 To consider the dynamics of advertiser
pressures in terms of the interactions and
interdependencies between traditional and
online journalism

4. Background: Journalism &
Advertising
 Journalism’s dependence on advertising
began in late 19th century grew more
pronounced over time
 Traditional advertising support model
undermined in 21st century
 Long tradition of concern about ways in
which pressures to attract advertising might
affect journalistic output

5. Advertising’s Influence on
Journalism
 Some Key Findings:
 Emergence of “norm of objectivity”
 Decline in competition
○ “Circulation Spiral”
 Increasing emphasis on serving and attracting
desirable demographic segments
○ Affects nature of news coverage
 Creation of content to serve advertiser needs
 Blurring of line between advertising and editorial

6. Relevance to Online Journalism
 Indirect
 Extension of traditional news outlets online
 Influence of traditional news outlets on online
news outlets
 Direct
 Extent to which economic and institutional
dynamics of online news are comparable

7. Relevant Online News Dynamics
+/- De-Institutionalization of journalism
 Both organizationally and procedurally?
+ More journalism being produced outside of
commercial news organizations
- Lack of institutionalized “church-state” separation
+ Opportunities for greater variety and
innovation in revenue models
- Consumer resistance to paying for online
content

8. Relevant Online News Dynamics
 Online news organizations smaller/less
bureaucratic
- Less able to resist advertiser pressures?
+ Less internal pressure to maximize profits?
 Long tail of audience attention and
advertising dollars
+/- Disproportionate clustering of advertising
dollars around relatively few sources

9. Conclusion
 Difficult to parse traditional from online
journalism
 Complex ecosystem
○ Developments affecting online platform affect
traditional platforms and vice versa
○ Effects of inter-platform competition for news
audience and advertising dollars
 Comparative analyses key to testing
propositions put forth here

10. Thank you!
pnapoli@fordham.edu