Repercussions of Insecurity in Chilean Journalism: Hierarchical Analysis of the Impact of the Social Outbreak and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This article analyzed the repercussions of insecurity in Chilean journalism following the events of the 2019 social outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic, applying Shoemaker and Reese’s hierarchy of influences model. These events impacted various levels of the profession: individual, routines, organizational, institutional, and social. Through qualitative analysis of 50 in-depth interviews with editors from print, radio, television, and digital media, specific threats were identified at each level: physical and psychological threats at the social, individual, and routine levels; technological insecurity at the routine and organizational levels; and financial insecurity at the extramedia levels. Collectively, the findings demonstrate how these forms of insecurity not only affected journalistic work during the crises but also left lasting effects that have redefined practices, relationships with sources, and editorial organization. For instance, new forms of self-censorship, a sustained reduction in field reporting, the consolidation of telework as an organizational model, growing reliance on institutional sources, and social distrust that continues to undermine journalism’s legitimacy were observed. These transformations highlight the need to understand insecurity as an interconnected and multidimensional phenomenon, requiring a comprehensive approach that considers this complexity.