Addressing Online Harassment in Swedish Journalism: An Institutional Perspective on Management

This study scrutinizes Swedish news organizations’ strategies to navigate the psychosocial impli- cations of online harassment toward journalists, drawing from interviews with 14 media managers across local and national media outlets. Employing institutional theory, the findings highlight managerial prioritization of physical safety, while concurrently undervaluing the mental strain induced by subtle online harassment, viewed as an occupational hazard intrinsic to the profession. Consequently, their comprehension of work environment responsibilities is shaped through their cognitive assimilation, influenced by their sociocultural environment and industry affiliation, which precludes them from recognizing online harassment as an organizational challenge. This, in turn, hinders a systematic and reflexive approach toward managing the multifaceted manifestations of online harassment. The significance of the study transcends merely identifying barriers, offering insights into the underlying institutional structures and practices that perpetuate them. These insights are pivotal for devising strategies that mitigate the detrimental impacts of online harass- ment in journalism.