Journalists' Satisfaction with Telecommuting Post-COVID-19: A Case Study of ISNA News Agency

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 Department of Social Communication Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Management, Culture, and Media, Faculty of Culture and Communication, Soore University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jcss.2025.385148.1115

Abstract

Background: Due to the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting has emerged as a new work method in the media, enabling journalists to adapt to digital technologies.
Aims: This study aims to assess journalists' satisfaction with telecommuting in the post-COVID era among journalists at ISNA news agency.
Methodology: The theoretical foundation of this research is based on the ideas of Daniel Bell and Manuel Castells. The statistical population includes 123 journalists, managers, senior editors, and news editors. Data was collected using a survey method and a researcher-designed questionnaire. The questionnaire's validity was evaluated through face validity, and its reliability was determined by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.956.
Results: The results of this study indicate that telecommuting has had positive effects on journalists' productivity, focus, topic discovery, and job enthusiasm. Among the factors assessed on a 5-point Likert scale, “improved output during telecommuting” ranked highest with an average of 4.35, followed by “no issues in communication with colleagues” with an average of 4.29, “feeling of enthusiasm and vitality” with an average of 4.19, “better focus on work” with an average of 4.18, “more time for work” with an average of 4.07, “topic discovery and development” with an average of 3.87, and finally, “ease of communication with relevant organizations and individuals” with an average of 3.74.
Conclusions: Environmental, family, and individual factors (such as number of children or marital status) have no effect on job satisfaction in telecommuting, but journalists’ job position does influence their satisfaction with telecommuting.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Abbasi, H. (2020). Practical Principles of Journalism. Tehran: Soroush. [in Persian]
Ahmadi, M. (2019). Satellite Studies and New Media. Tehran: Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting University. [in Persian]
Babakhani, F. (2014). Basic Principles of Media Law. Tehran: Majd. [in Persian]
Baker, R. (2020). “Corona in the world; A study says remote work will be permanent”. BBC Persian. https://www.bbc.com/persian/world-54418573.
Barghi, P. (2021). “The impact of telecommuting on employee satisfaction and organizational commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic (Case study: Municipalities of Gilan Province)”. Scientific Journal of New Research Approaches in Management and Accounting. 5(19): 1800-1810. https://majournal.ir/index.php/ma/article/view/1230.
Castells, Manuel. (2006a). The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. Vol. 1, The Rise of the Network Society. 5th ed. Translated by Aligholian, E.; Khakbaz A.;, Chavoshian, H. Tehran: Tarh-e-No. [in Persain]
---------------. (2006b). The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. Vol. 3. End of Millennium. 5th ed. Translated by Aligholian, E.; Khakbaz A.; Chavoshian, H.  Tehran: Tarh-e-No. [in Persian]
Firoozi, M.H. (2006). “Daniel Bell, the Sociologist of the New World”. Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). https://www.isna.ir/news/8502-16356. [in Persian]
Ghorbani, M. (2020). Crisis Journalism. Tehran: Soroush. [in Persain]
Hartman, R.I.; Stoner, C.R. & Arora, R. (1992). “Developing successful organizational telecommuting arrangements: Worker perceptions and managerial prescriptions”. Business Source Premier. 57(3): 35-42.
Holmes. (2005). Communication Theories. Translated by Mostaghimi, A.; Tehran: Sokhanvaran. [in Persain]
Hosseini, M.H. & Salajegheh Pour, A. (2014). “Designing a model for feasibility of telecommuting implementation (Case study: Iranian oil pipelines and telecommunications company)”. Human Resource Management in the Oil Industry. 5(19): 39-71. https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/1880434.  [in Persain]
Kook, S. (2023). Success in Telecommuting Management Translated by Bostani F. Tehran: Ganjur. [in Persian]
Martin, L.; Hauret, L. & Fuhrer, Ch. (2022). “Digitally transformed home office impacts on job satisfaction, job stress, and job productivity: COVID-19 findings”. Plos One. 17(3)” e0265131. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265131.
Masoudi, O. (2023). “Fundamentals of News Writing”. Tehran: Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. [in Persian]
Mehdi Zadeh, S.M. (2014). Media Theories. Tehran: Hamshahri. [in Persain]
Mehdi-Pour, F. (2013). “Providing practical policies regarding content-environmental issues of Iran's news agencies”. Islam and Social Studies. 3(Winter): 93-119.
Mohammadzadeh, M. (2019). “News writing in the modern age”. Quarterly Journal of Culture, Media, Communications. 36(3). [in Persian]
Mohseniān-Rād, M. (2017). Communication Studies. Tehran: Soroush. [in Persian]
Mowlana, H. & Shokrkhah, Y. (2008). International Flow of Information. Tehran: Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Office of Media Studies and Development. [in Persian]
Naderi Ghisour, M.R. (2012). Principles of Online Journalism. Tehran: Jam-e-Jam Publications. [in Persian]
Nilles, J.M.; Carlson, F.R.; Gray, P. & Hanneman, G.J. (1976). The Telecommunications Transportation Trade Off. New York: Wiley.
Pérez, A. (2014). Synergy and Collective Work. Translated by Ashrafi, A. Tehran: Bonyan. [in Persian]
Sakhaei, S.; Soroori Sarabi, A. & Alinouri, S. (2024).” Teaching IT Use to Elderly: A Media Literacy Solution”. Journal of Cyberspace Studies. 8(2).
Samimi, A.H. (2019). Productivity Management. Tehran: Foundation of the Oppressed. [in Persian]
Sarfi, M.; Darvishi, M.; Zohouri, M.; Nosrati, S. & Zamani, M. (2021). “Google’s University? An exploration of academic influence on the tech giant's propaganda”. Journal of Cyberspace Studies. 5(2): 181-202. https://doi.org/10.22059/jcss.2021.93901.
Scire, S. (2021). “About a third of news organizations have already adopted a remote or hybrid working model”. Nieman Lab. November 16. : https://www.niemanlab.org/2021/11/about-a-third-of-news-organizations-have-already-adopted-a-remote-or-hybrid-working-model/.
Shoja-Nouri, F.S,; Alsabah, F.; Khademi & Sadidpour, S. (2015). “Analysis of the effects of telecommuting on work-life balance of working married women”. Psychological Social Studies of Women. 13(3): 44-61. https://doi.org/10.22051/jwsps.2016.2142.
Šimunjak, M. (2022). “Journalism during the pandemic: many suffered stress, frustration, anxiety and burnout”. Press Gazette. https://pressgazette.co.uk/comment-analysis/digital-transformations-in-pandemic-affected-journalist-wellbeing-job-satisfaction/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Soltani-Far, M. & Hashemi, Sh. (2003). News Coverage. Tehran: Simaye Shargh.
Soroori Sarabi, A.; Arsalani, A. & Toosi, R. (2020). “Risk management at hazardous jobs: A new media literacy?”. Socio-Spatial Studies. 4(1), 13-24. https://doi.org/10.22034/soc.2020.212126.
Taban, P. (2022). Telecommuting. Tehran: Poshtiban. [in Persian]
Toffler, A. (1987). The Third Wave. Translated by Khwarazmi, Sh.. 3rd Ed. Tehran: Farhang Nashr-e-No. [in Persian]
Zakharov, S. (2022). At the Borders of Two Centuries. Translated by Soltani, B. Tehran: Soltani.
Zamani, M.; Nourbakhsh, Y. & Nayebi, H. (2021). “Presenting a pattern for promoting social health through social networks (Case study: Instagram social network)”. New Media Studies. 7(28): 42-1. doi: https://doi.org/10.22054/nms.2022.63698.1277.