From Media Systems to Digital Journalisms: An Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract

Nearly half a century since the first calls for comparisons of national-level media-political relations, comparative studies of media systems – and even more so of digital journalism – are still an emergent research field. In this introduction to the special issue ‘Comparing Digital Journalisms across Nations and Cultures’, we draw links between media systems and digital journalism(s) in comparative studies. First, we suggest a ‘systemic turn’ in media systems studies, with various branches of systems theory applied to media studies in a sound way; directing comparative studies to seeking systemic stability of journalism along with assessing its democratic performance; dealing more with contexts; and finding new criteria for cross-country comparisons. Second, we argue that, for digital journalisms as multi-level research objects, the systemic perspective intertwines with the epistemic one of truth-seeking and cultures of media professionalism. Third, we show how this logic is supported by the articles in the special issue which assess the impact of de-industrialization upon media performance and compare journalistic roles across nations and media segments. They also draw attention to audience as a major new comparative criterion, rethink nation-state as the level of analysis, and highlight risk as a new dimension of comparing digital journalism(s).