“Ekonomisk brottslighet är inte riktigt lika sexigt”
En kvalitativ studie om lokala kriminalreportrars syn på pressetik och urval
Aim of thesis: The aim of this study is to examine how local Swedish crime reporters work with framing and news selection. Furthermore, what kind of ethical dilemmas that can arise when it comes to reporting on crime and the reporters’ reasoning behind them. To examine this, the questions this study will answer are how the crime reporters describe their journalistic ethical consideration regarding their work. Moreover, how do they describe their selection regarding events and how do they describe their framing when it comes to reporting
on crime.
Theoretical framework: This study is based on a theoretical framework consisting of media logic and framing theory. Framing theory was chosen regarding the selection of details, framing, the reporters make during their work as well as how they portray a crime. Furthermore, media logic was chosen because it explains how news is presented, which events that ultimately turn out to be news and the reasoning behind the process.
Methods(s): The study was implemented through qualitative interviews. The material consists
of nine in-depth interviews with crime reporters from Swedish local newspapers. The interviews were thereafter transcripted and resulted in about 10 pages for each interview.
Results: The study found that the local perspective is distinctly present when it comes to the reporter’s ethical reasoning. Each of them describes the selection of details as a balancing act between making the article exciting to read, but at the same time preserving the integrity of the people involved. Additionally, the results concluded that the severity of the crime plays a great part regarding the reporter’s news selection. The reporters themselves also gave examples of techniques used to incorporate subtle sensationalism. However the reasoning behind it in their point of view is to provide good journalism rather than commercial reasons.