Mid Sweden University

This dissertation contains an exploratory study of how four Swedish media companies has decided to use social media in their daily work, and also how they in fact use them. What are the goals with implementing social media, how do they differ between different companies and do the goals transfer into the newsrooms?

The four companies studied are Sveriges Radio, Aftonbladet, Dalarnas Tidningar and Gotlands Media. Media companies that differ from one another both in size, geographical coverage and economy. They range from small local newspapers to national public service radio and the biggest tabloid on the Swedish market. The methods used are qualitative research interviews and field studies as well as quantitative data analysis. The theoretical chapter helps define traditional journalism and journalistic practice. The concepts of boundaries, participatory cultures and normalizing of work methods are also discussed and helps build a context for the analysis of the empirical data.

Some key findings from the study are that there are more similarities than differences between the various companies in both how they aim to use social media and how they in fact use them. That the digital development in the surrounding society are much faster than the implementation of new technologies in the newsrooms. Also, that there are differences between how the companies aim to use social media and the actual usage. For instance, all companies strive for a more active dialog with the audience in their visionary work, but has a hard time turning this into reality.

There is also notable that social media in this study do not change the journalistic fundamental routines and traditions. The studied journalists are still in control of their own content and they aim to meet the same standard in journalistic quality when working in social media. It is also evident that Facebook is invaluable for all the studied companies, which gives Facebook an interesting indirect power over the journalistic work process and product. Finally, the study finds that it is hard to engage the audience in an active collaboration even when working with social media.