Journalists in media companies: Proposals for an anthropology of their work

Abstract

The crisis triggered by the effects of Covid-19 has created a new context for work among journalists. High unemployment rates in Europe, particularly worrying among the youth, are yet another reason to think about working conditions in the media sector, which has been considered crucial to the health of democratic societies. The practice of communication professions has privileged activity, production, and fast publication, which now takes place in multiple media, mobile and social platforms. According to different research, distrust in media content seems to be growing. Is there a relationship between these two problems? Are there ways in line with the anthropology of work that could help to regain trust? The academic literature has studied the crisis of trust in institutions and has also explored the work of journalists. However, there are not many studies that bridge the structural crisis of trust in the media and the working conditions of professionals. This article seeks to contribute to alleviating this gap. It proposes three possible lines of argument to develop the anthropological keys to the work of journalists: a recovery of time, making research the working method; a primacy of audiences; and a need to stress the personal growth of professionals.