Le blogage ou l’arme de second rang des outsiders du champ journalistique. Le cas des dessinateurs de presse

Resumo

En.

While research on the effects of the Internet on journalistic work is ex- tensive, few studies have been carried out examining its effects on press illustrators. It is clear, however, that the press illustrations sector provides abundant material for sociologists interested in journalistic work, especially at a time when it faces two concomitant challenges: the press crisis on the one hand, and the rise of the influence of the Internet on journalistic practices on the other. For this reason, this paper will focus on analyzing the effects of the arrival of the Internet on the professional practices of illustrators. Press illustrators are on the whole a relatively precarious category among the journalists: the press crisis, competition from photography and the isolation inherent in their working conditions outside editorial offices greatly complicate the exercise of their profession. This is why some have latched onto the Internet, and blog writing in particular, in an attempt to overcome some of their professional challenges. This study attempts to determine whether or not blogs contribute to the renewal of the practices of the profession. We ask more specifically: do blogs allow illustrators—especially those in more vulnerable po- sitions in the field of journalism—to significantly improve their career paths and professional standing? From interviews with illustrators and their responses to an online questionnaire, together with an analysis of their blogs, we demonstrate that blogging becomes for them both a new promotional vehicle for their work, and a tool that allows them to integrate into their professional community. Blogging, however, remains a second-rate weapon for illustra- tors, as it does not allow them to overturn hierarchies established in the journalistic sector.