“Young snowflakes” and “Old Fogeys”: Two Generations of Czech Editors and Their Editorial Practices

Editors are in an ambivalent position: on the one hand, their contribution to the production of journalistic content is often invisible to the outside world; on the other, their practices, responsibilities and the teamwork in which they hold decisive positions are considered key components of professional journalism. As their role is generally understudied or treated as part of the wider field of journalism, they find themselves on the periphery of journalism studies. Information about editors’ professional practices and how they change is particularly scarce in the context of Central and Eastern European post-transformation media systems. This paper addresses this gap by examining how two generations of Czech editors perceive and assess their work. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the findings uncover differences and similarities between the downturn and the transformation generations of Czech editors, including the conflicts perceived and the mutual criticisms formulated by representatives of the two generations.