Abstract
This study explores the boundary work of the Korean independent newsroom Newstapa. Newstapa creates its own logic of journalism, which is a combination of the core of professional journalism and of participatory journalism. Newstapa journalists, who previously worked in mainstream media, open the boundaries of professional work by embracing the nascent norms and practices of participatory culture. The use of digital media helps provide greater transparency to citizens. Newstapa defines truth-telling as a conversational process through which journalists work with citizens. Although this process causes journalists to relinquish their professional autonomy to citizens, it leads to a reconstruction of the professional exclusivity of being more accountable journalists who serve only citizens through truth-telling and are free from any other external forces. Newstapa’s logic also helps create a normative border separating Newstapa from other journalists. By adapting this logic, Newstapa challenges the social authority of mainstream media.
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