LAUSR

This study offers an ethnographic analysis of the merger of the digitally native news nonprofit the St. Louis Beacon and St. Louis Public Radio. Researchers observed news work and interviewed journalists before and after the merger, paying close attention to how routines shifted subsequently. Through the lens of gatekeeping theory, researchers discuss how new specialized roles, technical changes, and shifting news judgments affected communication routines, and how journalists did their jobs. These findings are discussed in the context of the ever-changing journalism industry and what this means for future gatekeeping studies.