Balancing Metrics and Meaning: Local Editors' Lived Experiences in Algorithm-Driven Newsrooms

Abstract

In the current era of digital journalism, editorial decisions are increasingly influenced by algorithmic metrics and platform engagement standards. This study investigates how local online news editors in Indonesia interpret and navigate these digital pressures in their professional routines.

Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, this research involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight purposively selected local online news editors from various Indonesian provinces. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or via secure video conferencing, each lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis.

Three major experiential themes emerged: (1) the struggle to maintain journalistic ideals in the face of click-driven imperatives, (2) the evolving notion of newsworthiness shaped by platform logic, and (3) the emotional and ethical dissonance editors experience, leading to fragmented professional identities. Rather than succumbing passively to algorithmic control, editors actively negotiate these pressures—balancing survival strategies with personal and professional values. Their narratives reveal a deep engagement with ethical dilemmas, emotional strain, and adaptive decision-making processes.

The study contributes to journalism scholarship by highlighting the internal, often invisible dimensions of editorial labor that go beyond observable newsroom behavior. It also underscores the urgent need for editorial support systems, ethical guidelines, and institutional policies that acknowledge the human cost of digital media transformation. These insights provide a foundation for future research into editorial subjectivity and professional identity in an algorithm-driven media ecosystem.