A Fear Of Losing It: Examining FoMO’s Effect on Arts Journalists’ Willingness to Accept External Perks Related to Covering Their Beat

Within specialized beats such as the arts, reporters may rationalize accepting perks from external influences such as sources or public relations representatives, as an integral part of their job responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to test whether Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is connected to arts journalists’ willingness to accept job-related perks, as well as to establish network relationships and maintain job status. A survey of U.S.-based journalists (n = 48) found that FoMO, maintaining working relationships, competition with influencers, job security, and a reporter’s specific beat all increased arts journalists’ willingness to accept external perks. The constantly shifting landscape of contemporary media may affect each reporter differently, depending on their beat, including deciding whether to accept external perks or not. Denying such offers could lead to the journalist fearing they may be missing out on an eventful experience, building network relationships or maintaining their job status in the competitive nature of modern journalism, which includes the presence of influencers who navigate similar spaces as specialized reporters.