Factors Influencing the Use of Journalism Analytics as a Management Tool in Egyptian News Organizations

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the rapidly changing Egyptian media market, news organizations must conduct their own research if they want either national trends-data or organizationally specific information about audience sizes, interests and behaviors. Through 24 in-depth interviews, the study scrutinizes how organizational factors influence the adoption of analytics tools in the editorial decision-making process. In addition, it examines how the Egyptian news managers who have adopted analytics use the data in daily news decision making. The study found that although organizational resources were more important than organization size or distribution platform in predicting investment in journalism analytics infrastructure, organizational ownership plays a bigger role. Results also showed that the majority of the interviewees were concerned about ceding professional journalism judgment to audience preferences as indicated by audience behavioral data. Managers in digital-native news organizations appeared most open to using audience input. The study confirms and extends existing research on the adoption and use of journalism analytics and other innovations in newsrooms. It also contributes to understanding management issues in a news media sector that has been largely ignored in media management research.