Collaborative journalism and normative journalism: intersections and implications of normative roles in the collaborative action of journalists, media practitioners and news organisations in Latin America

In this study, I investigated the commitments, norms, characteristics and processes of collaborative journalism, an emergent practice of journalism. Collaborative journalism is a practice in which journalists from different news organisations, universities, nongovernmental organisations and other actors cooperate to conduct a journalistic investigation that would otherwise not be possible. Over the last few years,j ournalists engaged in collaborative journalism have revealed the violations of various governments, authorities and other powerful people on a global, national and local scale. Notably, the contributions of collaboration to journalism, especially investigative journalism and fact-checking, are evident in its diverse, pluralistic and noncompetitive approach. Regarded as more than just a model of journalism with the participation of other actors, collaborative journalism emerges as a force for the restoration, reform and reparation of the journalistic field in terms of the normative functions, roles and values of journalism within society. This is due to the different contexts in which collaborative journalism develops and evolves, especially in nondemocratic and authoritarian regimes, as well as in regimes within developing democracies, which are frequently found in Latin America. In this sense, I posed the following central research question: Does collaborative journalism contribute to the normative role of journalism in society? To analyse the main forces that shape the establishment of collaborative journalism efforts and their evolution and development, I performed a mixed-methods study focused on empirical evidence of these commitments and values, which are translated into practices and processes in the conduct of collaborative efforts. Specifically, I conducted surveys, interviews and data set research. Then, to interpret the data and answer the central research question, I developed a novel theoretical framework focused on the normative journalism paradigm and comparative media systems. This study contributes to the normative journalism discussion by highlighting why normative journalism commitments, values and norms are relevant for collaborative journalism practitioners. Moreover, this study adapts and adds to comparative media systems theory to more accurately understand and interpret the contextual factors that shape the evolution and development of collaborative journalism. It offers a particular focus on the concentration of media ownership, the levels of state and government intervention and control as well as their effects in media ecosystems in Latin America. This study also adds to the discussion on security and news safety in the region by demonstrating that this factor influences the willingness of journalism practitioners to be involved in collaborative journalism. The theoretical and empirical frameworks provide a unique approach to the examination of collaborative journalism, its characteristics, internal and external factors and dimensions that shape the evolution of collaborative journalism in Latin America. My findings contribute to the growing literature on collaborative journalism for scholars and practitioners through a review of concepts as well as original empirical and theoretical analyses, discussions and evidence of the practice. This study significantly contributes to definitions and critiques of collaborative journalism by demonstrating the need for a new concept of the practice that reflects the commitments and values of practitioners, especially in the context of nondemocratic and authoritarian regimes and countries with developing democracies