Journalistic gatekeeping

Wehden, Lars-Ole

Abstract

Journalistic gatekeeping, a well-established concept in journalism research, explores the multi-level process of news selection and public news dissemination. It further investigates the decisions, actors, and factors shaping this process. Gatekeeping decisions exerted by journalists might considerably influence reality perceptions and political opinion formation of recipients and are therefore relevant from a political communication perspective. This entry traces the traditional theory of gatekeeping rooted in the seminal work of Lewin and White and introduces methodological approaches for its investigation. Since the foundation of the gatekeeping approach, the media landscape has changed considerably. Therefore, the entry further delves into the evolvement of gatekeeping theory in the digital era, where technological advancements, changing media dynamics in a networked communication space, and newly emerging gatekeeping actors are reshaping the theory's contours. As gatekeeping scholars adapt to these developments, this entry examines contemporary manifestations of gatekeeping research, but also underscores the theory’s enduring relevance.