Managing from the middle: The role of mid‐level gatekeepers in mobilizing grassroots activism and encouraging facilitative relationships

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the opinions of newsletter editors in the Sierra Club in an effort to understand the roles an editor and newsletter content play in building relationships in an activist setting. There are two goals: to examine editorial decision making in an activist organization; and to examine the role of interpersonal interaction as part of an organizational‐public relationship (OPR).

Design/methodology/approach

In‐depth interviews with 14 Sierra Club newsletter editors examined issues related to newsletter content choice, issue frames, sources, and mission.

Findings

The findings illustrate normative practices for grassroots gatekeepers. Editors saw their role as facilitating relationship building and activism among members. This has theoretical implications for OPR theory by suggesting a new facilitative relationship type.

Research limitations/implications

As all qualitative research, the findings of this study are not generalizable. This study is further limited because it focuses on a single organization and one communication channel.

Practical implications

Most editors suggested that content selection was based on the expertise of the editor or an editorial or executive board. This provides strategic communication opportunities for both the national and the grassroots organization, if the editorial decision making model is identified by strategists.

Originality/value

Mid‐level gatekeepers, such as newsletter editors, are an important public to study because of their potential impact on key publics. This paper provides both practical and theoretical implications. Practical implications include insights into how some activist gatekeepers make decisions and into information salience.

Citation

Reber, B.H., Pētersone, B. and Berger, B.K. (2010), "Managing from the middle: The role of mid‐level gatekeepers in mobilizing grassroots activism and encouraging facilitative relationships", Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 32-46. https://doi.org/10.1108/13632541011017799