Spatial dimensions within hierarchy of influences: How re-conceived notions of space in networked societies impact Latin American journalists

Abstract

Local, national, regional and global networks of power intersect in this digital era, raising questions of how re-conceived notions of space in networked societies impact journalism. This study surveyed journalists (n = 1094) from 20 Latin American countries to explore how spatial dimensions are influencing how journalists’ roles are perceived in the region, within the hierarchy of influences model. It identified the disseminator/informational role – a role traditionally less common among journalists in Latin America – as most impacted by the spatial shifts at the organizational level (geographic scope), social-institutional level (geo-cultural regions) and social systems level (social network structures). As journalists’ work becomes connected with extra-national networks, their perceptions of roles shift, with relevant consequences for journalistic practices.