| Using a survey of 167 professional journalists, this study examined the motivations to adopting what is defined in the study as "nonprofessional" journalism. Previous research was used to provide for a definition of "nonprofessional" journalism as being related to professional journalism ethics. Diffusion of Innovations Theory provided a framework for determining the factors that may or may not be motivating the decision. The sample used in the study was journalists who held a management-level title at a newspaper in the United Stated. The data were analyzed using conditional process analysis, which allowed for the development of a model that tested for moderated mediation over various paths of thinking involved in the decision. Results show that professional journalists are willing to publish content produced by nonprofessionals when there is either a social need or an economic need in doing so. Furthermore, they are not as concerned about professional journalism ethics where they perceive a social need, but they are when there is an economic need, under certain conditions. |
