The Practice and Presentation of Slow Journalism: A Case Study of Kinfolk Magazine

Abstract

Against the relentless speed-driven nature of today’s journalism industry, the notion of a decidedly slower type of journalism seems to be gaining traction amongst both industry practitioners and audiences. In direct contradiction to the ‘breaking news’ mentality that governs most modern newsrooms (Lewis and Cushion 2009 Lewis, J. , and S. Cushion. 2009. “The Thirst to be First: An Analysis of Breaking News Stories and Their Impact on the Quality of 24-Hour News Coverage in the UK.” Journalism Practice 3 (3): 304–318. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar] ), slow journalism calls for the purposeful slowing down of news production to create an alternative form of journalism that advocates for a higher quality and depth in content (Le Masurier 2015 Le Masurier, M. 2015. “What is Slow Journalism?” Journalism Practice 9 (2): 138–152. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] ). This paper aims to add to the literature on slow journalism by analysing how a particular publication, the popular literary lifestyle magazine, Kinfolk, actively pursues, portrays, and presents the practice of slow journalism. Based on a textual analysis of the editor’s letters from 30 issues of Kinfolk, this study found that the practice of slow journalism is manifested in the magazine through four ways: an emphasis on community, advocating for slowness in both production and consumption of content, and a niche editorial presentation. Findings from this study should help scholars to improve the theorising of the concept of slow journalism, and also help contribute to a better understanding of the larger changes happening in the journalism field.