Journalism as Usual? Managing Disruption in Virtual Newsrooms during the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

This study focuses on managerial responses to disruption and, specifically, how news executives implemented journalistic practices and processes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the lens of Harvey’s (2006) theorization of space, the concept of Collaborative Virtual Environments, and the model of communities of practice, I explore management’s roles in virtual newsrooms. The method is based on semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 17 news managers in Spain. The findings presented here underline managerial performance in virtual newsrooms considered as communities of practice. Virtual spaces reconfigured relationships among colleagues and increased collaboration, shaping news practices and communication protocols. Management implemented strategies to control the negotiation of meaning, the building of trust and cooperation, and the power dynamics within their professional communities. Journalistic production during the COVID-19 pandemic also raised problematic issues such as work overload, psychological distress, and job insecurity.