Exploring Freelance Journalism in the Emirati Media Ecosystem: A Comparison of Using Freelancers Among National Media Organizations and Their Voluntary Professional Autonomy

What are the nature and characteristics of freelance journalism in the UAE media system? To answer the main research paper question, this study investigates the usage and influence of freelancers in the Emirati media ecosystem through a comparison among the national media organizations. Self-determination theory (SDT) is used to analyze four dimensions of global freelance journalism. The study uses semi-structured interviews with 15 subjects, including three accountable for dealing with freelancers and twelve freelancers who freelance in the U.A.E., and applies a thematic analysis to this data. Additionally, SDT interprets the clustered themes. This paper discovered that freelance journalism is still taking shape in the UAE; the national journalism and media industry are using freelancers who undergo strict standards to add a valuable output within a harmonious, cooperative, and participatory form that influences the Emirati media ecosystem positively. The paradox is that all use their professional autonomy voluntarily to serve the national media’s interests through their contributions in accordance with national trends. However, their usage nationally has decreased to control the budgets with a tendency to depend on Emirates freelancers as new players, which increases the competition with residents and foreign freelancers in particular, who are preferred over domestic freelancers.