Abstract
The aim of this exploratory study is to develop the concept of the actor approach and journalism culture by adding a factor that has been more or less overlooked: academic scholarship. The paper also proposes to use the concept “discursive institutionalism” in order to clarify what knowledge and opinions about media are formed in the interaction of media institutions and academia with other institutions in society (e.g. educational, political and judicial). The concept “discursive institutionalism” includes the role of academia in providing new knowledge by conducting and disseminating research on the national and international levels, and this deserves greater attention. Although it is a common understanding that the role of academia is to prepare young professionals, it is less discussed how national media research and journalism education, in synergy, can create and maintain a collective understanding regarding the role and performance of national journalism in turbulent times. The paper is a meta-analysis of published research, and the empirical part of the study includes a close reading of academic articles, reports and conference presentations that are available in English about media in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Examples of research from selected CEE countries provide a descriptive view of problems and tendencies concerning media performance in these countries. The proposed analytical approach aims to connect these problems and provide ideas for further research.
Highlights
Millions of people constantly produce and disseminate information and news, democratic societies still need professional journalism to be a source of autonomous and reliable information, as well as analysis, and a potential watchdog over power-holders
Dobek-Ostrowska proposes that Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries can be described as being on four levels of media professionalism and the implementation of media accountability instruments (MAI): “Estonia and the Czech Republic are leaders in the region; they have the best position in many rankings
In order to use this concept as an explanatory analytical model for cultural analysis, the article proposes that the concept of discursive institutionalism that makes it possible to combine the analysis of actors, the interaction between different actor groups and discourses that are produced by media and media scholars
Summary
Millions of people constantly produce and disseminate information and news, democratic societies still need professional journalism to be a source of autonomous and reliable information, as well as analysis, and a potential watchdog over power-holders. Dobek-Ostrowska proposes that CEE countries can be described as being on four levels of media professionalism and the implementation of media accountability instruments (MAI): “Estonia and the Czech Republic are leaders in the region; they have the best position in many rankings (including Democracy Index, Press Freedom Index). Why have media accountability and professionalism in CEE countries developed so differently?. In order to use this concept as an explanatory analytical model for cultural analysis, the article proposes that the concept of discursive institutionalism that makes it possible to combine the analysis of actors, the interaction between different actor groups and discourses that are produced by media and media scholars. In transition societies, the ability to carry out analytical self-reflection (during rapid social changes) is a precondition for dealing with such problems as clientelism, politicization, political parallelism, commercialism and weak professionalism, as well as low levels of autonomy in journalism
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