Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) for Journalism Studies: Making Sense of Journalists’ Sense-Making of Digital Disruptions

Despite the field’s interdisciplinary nature, academic specialization and the academic norm of in-field referencing have limited the scope of possibility that journalism studies may draw upon fields not part of its interdisciplinary repertoire. This paper invites readers to explore Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a rich analytical tradition from qualitative psychology and health studies and demonstrates its applicability in journalism research. By analyzing in-depth interviews with journalists at the cusps of two epochal ages of digital disruption in journalism—the rise of user-generated content (UGC) and social network sites around 2010, and the current explosion of generative AI—we show how IPA can serve as a powerful approach for journalism researchers. Paying tribute to the journalist as ‘expert’ of their own occupational lived experience, IPA provides a nuanced understanding of how journalists negotiate technological transformations in their occupational spaces. Through a triple hermeneutic analysis, where researchers attempt to make sense of journalists critically making sense of UGC and AI as a journalistic tool while reflectively engaging in sense-making of what it means to be a journalist in the age of social media and the age of AI, we explore the profound implications of these digital disruptions. Thematic findings reveal occupational identity crises, ethical dilemmas, and organizational challenges, all within the context of methodological reflection. This study underscores the value of IPA in capturing the depth and reflexivity of journalists’ sense-making during significant technological transformations, advocating for a reflective turn in journalism research.