Shifting institutional orders and responses to technological disruption among local journalists in Russia and the U.S

This study compares U.S. and Russian news organizations’ responses to today’s disruptive environment intensified by the development of digital online technologies and global economic crisis. Findings show U.S. journalists attempt to maintain legitimacy within ‘professional’ and ‘digital network’ orders by either decoupling their digital network efforts from traditional, core operations or by assimilating digital practices within traditional journalistic practices. For Russian journalists, the dominant conflicting orders are the ‘state’ institutional order and a weak ‘professional’ order; and accord with a ‘digital network’ order is most evident outside of traditional news organizations. Overall, in both countries, a lack of response to online audiences by media outlets is common, but differing institutional environments help explain differing reasons for these responses.