Children and adolescents as news sources: research brief on voice and agency of minors in Swedish and Estonian journalistic regulative documents

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research briefly analyses Swedish and Estonian laws, journalistic codes of ethics, and newsroom guidelines that set the foundation for minors (not) being interviewed as news sources. Textual analysis of such documents shows that regardless of minors’ right to free expression, minors are mostly addressed only in victims’ roles, prioritizing protection over representation. Focus on guardian consent of under 18s is justified as protection, which also helps protect the newsroom from adverse reactions. We argue that the regulative basis of journalism reinforces the exclusion of minors from news coverage and prevents them from participating in public discussions. Therefore, the documents need updating from contemporary childhood sociology perspectives according to which minors are considered a resourceful group and distinguished into several age groups and roles, thus can be empowered to be included in news media. Impact summary Prior State of Knowledge: Children are underrepresented in news media, which reduces their freedom of expression and agency to be part of public discussions. This decreases their interest in news media and isolates them from civic participation. Novel Contributions: Empirical research lacks the studies on the reasons why newsrooms exclude minors from news coverages. The current study focuses on regulations that affect journalistic practice on grass-root level and indicates the need for paradigmatic changes in regulatory documents. Practical Implications: Our findings have implications primarily for media scholars and journalists, but also parents. We encourage a discussion and change in the principles how minors should be engaged in news coverages.