Dimensions of Peripherality in Journalism: A Typology for Studying New Actors in the Journalistic Field

Abstract

The emergence of an increasingly complex variety of digital actors who may be considered as engaging in journalism has led to a veritable explosion of scholarship on peripheral actors in the field. Numerous cases have been analyzed, yet we currently lack a systematic understanding of the shapes and forms in which such actors can be studied. To better account for the increasing complexity in this area of scholarship, this article conducts a systematic literature review of 63 articles published in English-language peer-reviewed journals. Through this review, we identify and propose a framework for assessing and classifying the peripherality of actors that is composed of three dimensions – identities, practices, and structures. These are further divided into ten components, which we have termed: values, experience, belongingness, professionalism, competencies, formats, transformativity, autonomy, audience-centricity, and organization. Together, these may help scholars better understand the diversity of peripheral activities in journalism.