Community as Interpretive Community: Rethinking the Journalist-Source Relationship

Abstract

In this essay we consider the relationship between journalists and news sources within the social context of communities and their newspapers. We portray these groups as interpretive communities, where shared meanings develop through on-going social interaction. We draw on literature related to news making, news sources, and community pluralism, concluding that the relationship between journalists and news sources is shaped by the preferred meanings of a community's interpretive groups, including journalists and their news organizations. We apply examples from interviews with journalists and news sources to illustrate and contextualize the discussion.