국가기간 뉴스통신사의 코로나19 백신접종 뉴스생산 관행 : <연합뉴스> 기자 인터뷰를 통해
초록
본 연구는 백신접종 보도에서 국가기간 뉴스통신사 <연합뉴스>의 보도가 충실하지 못한 이유를 조직 내부의 생산 관행에서 파악하고자 시작했다. 내부 구성원들과의 인터뷰를 통해 뉴스의 생산 관행의 특징은 무엇이며, 뉴스 생산의 조건은 어떠한지 파악함으로써 보도의 원인을 설명하고자 한 것이다. 분석을 위해 일선 취재기자 3명, 부장급 데스크 1명, 그리고 논설위원 2명을 대상으로 인터뷰했다. 뉴스를 생산하는 구성원 인터뷰 결과, 첫 번째 연구 문제인 <연합뉴스>의 뉴스의 생산 관행의 특징을 아이템 선정 및 취재보도 방향과 뉴스 편집과정으로 나누어 살펴보았다. 아이템 선정 및 취재보도 방향에서 ① 정부 정책 순응적 뉴스 선택과 SNS를 통한 검증 부족한 취재 ② 백신접종 필요성을 강조하는 논조가 발견되었다. 뉴스 편집과정에서는 ① 공유되지 않는 불투명한 편집방침 ② 팩트체크와 게이트키핑 과정의 결락을 발견할 수 있었다. 이와 같은 뉴스 생산 관행의 특징은 국가기간 뉴스통신사의 것이라고 보기에는 심각한 문제라고 볼 수 있다. 두 번째 연구 문제인 뉴스 생산의 조건으로는 ① 디지털화로 인한 타깃 오디언스에 대한 분산된 인식, ②전국적인 네트워크를 통한 보도와 자족적 효능감, ③ 전문 인력의 부족을 확인할 수 있었다. 이와 같은 분석 결과는 <연합뉴스>의 백신접종 관련 보도의 특성을 설명하는 원인으로 제시될 수 있다. 연구자들은 앞으로 <연합뉴스>의 전염병 등 재난 보도를 계기로 뉴스룸 구조의 대대적인 혁신이 필요하다고 제안했다. 사회적 대재앙이 발생했을 때, 소속 기자들을 하나의 방향으로 재조직할 수 있는 편집국의 강력한 리더십과 유연한 조직 유연성이 필요하다는 것이다. 또한 뉴스 생산과정에서 일반 시민의 의견을 충분히 반영하는 뉴스 생산 초점의 이동을 제안했다. 끝으로 팩트체크와 게이트키핑의 중요성은 아무리 강조해도 부족하지 않다. 디지털 환경으로 인해 독자를 직접 만나는 <연합뉴스>는 일반 언론사와 클릭 경쟁에 함께 참여함으로써 속보성과 선정성이라는 두 가지 위험요인에 휘말리고 있다. 국가기간 뉴스통신사가 민간 언론사와 함께 클릭 경쟁을 한다는 것은 공론장의 건강성을 심대하게 훼손하는 행위임이 틀림없다. 속보성과 선정성을 앞세우며 부정확하거나 과장된 정보를 전파할 경우 다른 언론 매체가 인용하고, 포털을 경유해 관련 정보가 빠르게 전파되며 인포데믹으로 커지는 것을 우리 사회가 목격했다. 국민의 건강과 안녕에 직결된 백신접종 정보는 공개되기 전에 팩트체크를 통해 사실 검증을 거치고 또 거쳐야 한다. 연구자들은 <연합뉴스>가 국가기간 뉴스통신사로 국가 예산의 지원을 받아 운영되는 ‘공영 언론사’라는 점을 환기하며 철저한 변화가 요구된다고 주장했다.
Abstract
This study began with an attempt to find out why the national key news agency <Yonhap News> was not faithful in reporting on vaccination from the organization's internal production conventions. Through interviews with internal members, we intended to explain the causes of reporting by identifying the characteristics of news production conventions and the conditions of news production. For analysis, interviews were conducted with the three front-line reporters, one manager-level desk, and two editorial writers. As a result of interviews with members who produce news, the first research question’s topic was divided into item selection & reporting direction, and news editing process. In the direction of item selection and reporting, ① government policy-compliant news selection and coverage through SNS lacking verification ② tones emphasizing the need for vaccination were found. In the news editing process, we found ① the opaque editorial policy not shared ② and the failure in the process of fact checking and gatekeeping. Such characteristics of news production conventions can be seen as serious problems regarding national key news agency. As for the condition of news production, which is the second research question, ① dispersed perception of the target audience due to digitalization, ② reporting through a nationwide network and self-sufficient efficacy, and ③ lack of professional manpower were found. Such results can be presented as causes to explain the characteristics of Yonhap News' vaccination-related reports. We suggested that <Yonhap News> should launch major innovation in the structure of the newsroom in the wake of a disaster such as epidemics. In the event of a social catastrophe, the newsroom leadership should be strong to reorganize reporters flexibly. In addition, news coverage focus should be changed into the opinions of the general public. Lastly, the importance of fact checking and gatekeeping cannot be emphasized enough. Due to the digital environment, Yonhap News, which could directly meet readers, is caught up in two risk factors, speedy news release inclination and sensationalism, by participating in the click competition with general media outlets. It is undoubted that serious damages for the health of the public sphere are predicted when the key news agency competes with private media outlets for clicks. Our society has witnessed that when inaccurate or exaggerated information are spread with speedy news release inclination and sensationalism at the forefront, other media outlets quote it, and related information is rapidly disseminated through portals and grows into an infodemic. Vaccination information that is directly related to the health and well-being of the people must be fact-checked and verified again and again before being released. Researchers reminded that Yonhap News is a “public media company” operated with support from the national budget as a national news agency, and argued that Yonhap News needs thorough changes.
Keywords:
<Yonhap News>, national key news agency, COVID-19 vaccination, factcheck, production conventions키워드:
<연합뉴스>, 국가기간 뉴스통신사, 코로나19 백신접종, 게이트키핑, 뉴스생산 관행Acknowledgments
This paper was supported by Dongseo University’s “Dongseo Cluster Project” Research Fund of 2022 (DSU-20220003)(이 논문은 2022년도 동서대학교 “Dongseo Cluster Project” 지원을 받아 이루어진 것임 (DSU-20220003)).
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