John E. Newhagen
Mark R. Levy
University of Maryland

The architectures of information technologies reflect the societal power relation-
ships they embody. This observation is most poignant at moments of convergence,
when old social systems struggle to maintain their integrity within the context of
the architecture defined by the new technology ( McLuhan, 1964/ 1994). Journal-
ism, we contend, now finds itself at such a juncture, as it reflects on a set of mature
norms and canons established during the reign of mass circulation newspapers, and
as it looks ahead to computer-based information network technologies.

Newspaper and television production can be imagined as having an hour-glass
shape: Large amounts of information flow in linear fashion from many sources
through a narrow, journalistic "neck" and on to a mass of readers or viewers. The
ability to control this linear flow rests almost exclusively with the journalist. The
result is an asymmetry in social power, with the scales clearly tipped toward the
journalist. Indeed, this inequality of power helps define the way society regards
newswork and gives rise to public and professional concerns about such concepts
as credibility and objectivity. Thus, for example, one key component of objectivi-
ty, balance in news content, becomes an issue for journalism because of the per-
ceived imbalance in power between journalists and their clients. ¹

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