The limits and opportunities of practising journalism in the digital space: a gender perspective

• Authors: Alexandra Codău , Valentin Vanghelescu
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This study explores the professional debut of women journalists in the digital environment in Romania, focusing on the dynamics of gender identity. The research examines the phenomenon of the viralisation of the first material published by a young journalist and the subsequent online reactions to it on social media. The case study method is used to analyse the discursive and institutional consequences of this event, observing the reactions of various stakeholders (the author, readers, journalists, NGOs, and the academic community). The findings highlight the opportunities created by the viral nature of the debut article, which provides the journalist with a discursive platform post-publication to address gender-related issues and enhances her visibility. However, the analysis also exposes significant challenges faced by the journalist, such as sexist and misogynistic discourse in the comments on social media, demonstrating that in the public sphere of Romania, a woman journalist’s online debut is viewed and analysed not just in terms of professional standards but also from a gender perspective.

Keywords

EN

journalistic debut; gender identity; digital hostility; misogynistic discourse; viralization

Discipline

• SOCIOLOGY: SOCIOLOGY

• Publisher: Institute of Sociology, Czech Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research
• Year: 2024
• Volume: 25
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 42-64
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Alexandra Codău

• Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research Sociologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i. / Institute of Sociology CAS, Jilská 1, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic

author

Valentin Vanghelescu

• Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research Sociologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i. / Institute of Sociology CAS, Jilská 1, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic