Information Overload of Journalists in Contemporary Russia: Causes, Ways of Adaptation and Consequences (A Pilot Study)

Communications. Media. Design. 2018. Vol. 3. No. 4. P. 115–139.

Chumakova V., Горшкова Д. Д., Popova V., Shibanova A.

The article is devoted to the problem of information overload of contemporary journalists. The pilot study included 37 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Russian journalists from various fields. Firstly, 9 main reasons for the overload of journalists mentioned by them were identified: the heterogeneity of the media environment; an increase in the distortion of reliable information; the exhaustion of analytical resources; global events; communication overload; compassion fatigue; the specificity of the profession (speed, deadlines); physiological and workflows; focus on the news. Secondly, four levels of overload consequences were identified, which were discussed by informants: physiological (biological), psychological, cognitive and social. The components of these consequences were analyzed in detail. Thirdly, the professional sequences of journalists' overload, which arise from the designated four levels, were analyzed separately. Finally, ways of adapting journalists to information overload were identified.

Keywords: медиа, новые медиа, media, new media, журналисты, information overload, информационная перегрузка, интернет, journalists, post-truth, постправда, fact-cheking, фактчекинг