ABSTRACT
Identity work is one of the core concepts for better understanding the process and practices of entrepreneurial identity development to date. Identity work is seen as what individuals do when relating to others for creating, sustaining, and altering their self-identity. However, the changes in technology, related to new forms of work, platformization, and mediatization, all create immense pressures to adapt and continuously refine what entrepreneurship in journalism is and how students can build a successful image as part of this journey. With qualitative procedures we analyzed interview data from 14 students of journalism who are in the process of becoming media entrepreneurs and freelancers, while building their identity as journalists in the Netherlands. Our study finds that three practices of entrepreneurial identity work become important for these journalists. These are (1) storytelling about their self, (2) networking as opportunity building, and (3) managing an ambivalent relationship with social media. Our study concludes by discussing the relevance of media entrepreneurship today and gives an outlook how to further develop the field.
