Journalistic Independence Research Articles

'Political Role in Journalism': Issues and Challenges in Nepal and Beyond

This paper examines the intricate connection between politics and journalism, highlighting the difficulties and effects of political influence on journalistic practices. The study shows, through a review of the, statement of problem, study of object and literature, that political beliefs have a major influence on media narratives, which frequently results in skewed reporting. The study is dependence of self-censorship, especially in authoritarian regimes. The crucial role that journalism plays in influencing public opinion and its consequences for democratic processes are also covered in this essay. It also draws attention to the difficulties that journalists encounter in politically delicate situations, such as censorship, physical threats, and legal constraints. The results highlight the necessity for journalistic independence and integrity to support democratic processes, as well as the dual role that media plays as a safeguard for democracy and a possible conduit for political influence. The study highlights the role that independent journalism plays in defending democratic norms in Nepal and notes the challenges that journalists confront in upholding impartiality and moral standards in the face of political polarization.

Status of Elderly People in Chandragiri Municipality of Kathmandu

This paper examines the intricate connection between politics and journalism, highlighting the difficulties and effects of political influence on journalistic practices. The study shows, through a review of the, statement of problem, study of object and literature, that political beliefs have a major influence on media narratives, which frequently results in skewed reporting. The study is dependence of self-censorship, especially in authoritarian regimes. The crucial role that journalism plays in influencing public opinion and its consequencesfor democratic processes are also covered in this essay. It also draws attention to the difficulties that journalists encounter in politically delicate situations, such as censorship, physical threats, and legal constraints. The results highlight the necessity for journalistic independence and integrity to support democratic processes, as well as the dual role that media plays as a safeguard for democracy and a possible conduit for political influence. The study highlights the role that independent journalism plays in defending democratic norms in Nepal and notes the challenges that journalists confront in upholding impartiality and moral standards in the face of political polarization.

Media politics in Japan: News journalism between interdependence, integrity, and influence

AbstractAlthough Japan is generally considered a liberal democracy with a free press, concerns about media independence have repeatedly been raised. The World Press Freedom Index ranks Japan last among G7 nations. One of the major reasons for its performance lies in a deep-rooted entanglement of the mainstream media with the political establishment, which is said to promote a climate of self-censorship and impede courageous, critical journalism. While the government-approved reporters’ clubs (“kisha clubs”) are often cited as lying at the heart of the problem, there are other relevant structural and historically grown factors hindering the improvement of press freedom: Despite theoretical constitutional protection, media governance in Japan does not provide an adequate framework for journalistic independence; furthermore, revolving door politics, editorial interventions and informal arrangements are well-established practices inside the sphere of media and politics. Nevertheless, there have been those critical moments when the mainstream media, in fact, influenced the course of politics. Setting out from the present condition of media democracy in Japan, this article traces back the historical roots of the seemingly firmly ingrained relationship between journalism and the state. Thereby, it portrays the ambivalent interdependence between the media and politics, and the dilemmatic tension between journalistic integrity, economic interests, and political influence. Finally, it explains why the current hegemony of the legacy media in the public sphere may eventually face a silent, but profound transformation in light of digitization and advancements in artificial intelligence.

How to Reconcile Water and Fire: Social Media Logic and Journalistic Independence

How to Reconcile Water and Fire: Social Media Logic and Journalistic Independence

Critical Moment for Indonesian Journalism: Disappearance of Journalistic Firewall

This study aims to understand the dynamics of journalists’ professionalism regarding the critical moment for Indonesian journalism in carrying out their journalistic practices. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study method and took place in Surabaya, East Java, the second largest city in Indonesia that records the highest media growth in the country besides Jakarta and Medan. The results of this study show that there has been the destuction of old journalistic values including journalistic independence and the normalization of new journalistic practices that mix editorial and business among journalists surveyed. Nowadays, the mixture is considered a normal journalistic practice. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of eroding journalists’ welfare and reviving pre-pandemic unethical practices, such as bribery, extortion and news withdrawal on the pretext of welfare. The pandemic has also given rise to a turning point in journalistic practices related to the press business model which traditionally relied on ads and changed the direction of news reporting that the journalistic firewall has cordoned by separating editorial from business. This gave rise to the destruction of journalistic values including independence and the disappearance of the journalistic firewall. Keywords: Journalistic values, journalists’ welfare, critical moment, journalistic independence, firewall.

INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL POWER ON INDIAN NEWS CHANNELS COVERAGE: A STUDY OF HATHRAS CASE 2020

This study investigates how political power influences the coverage of the Hathras 2020 case in Indian news media. They use a qualitative content analysis to investigate how political interests influence the framing, emphasis, and tone of cases in media reports. The study focuses on agenda-setting through political goals, prejudices, and sensationalism, all of which are linked to media integrity in India. A thorough examination of the coverage of the Hathras-Fall demonstrates the need of maintaining journalistic independence and transparency in the face of political interference. Keywords: Political hegemony, Media representation, Hathras tragedy, Broadcast journalism, Dalit women victimization, Societal impact

Increasing Challenges and Shrinking Roles of Environmental Journalists in Nepal

ABSTRACT This study investigates the perceived challenges of environmental journalists in Nepal, examining individual and organizational barriers to effectively covering environmental issues. Based on in-depth interviews with 10 journalists, it highlights the impact of global trends, such as reliance on international news, limited editorial autonomy, and unique challenges faced within the Nepali context. The study reveals how shifts in the media industry and budget constraints impede journalists’ ability to conduct thorough investigations, with implications for the quality and depth of environmental news coverage. Utilizing the hierarchy of influence model, the article critically analyzes these challenges, including the influence of NGOs and INGOs on news content and agendas, which can constrain journalistic independence. The findings suggest a decline in environmental news coverage attributed to time constraints and the transition to online media, further exacerbated by the diminishing role of environmental journalists due to the downsizing of the news media. This research sheds light on the evolving landscape of environmental journalism in Nepal and calls for further exploration into these challenges.

Navigating the dynamic terrain: A comprehensive analysis of journalism in Pakistan

The landscape of journalism in Pakistan is a dynamic interplay of historical legacies, political pressures, cultural influences, and technological advancements. From its origins in print media during the colonial era to the digital revolution of the 21st century, Pakistani journalism has navigated through challenges of censorship, political interference, and commercialization while upholding principles of truth and accountability. This research article conducts a comprehensive examination of the current state of news coverage and journalism in Pakistan, delving into its historical evolution, regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and socio-political contexts. Through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, the study uncovers the pervasive influence of political actors on news coverage, the impact of media ownership concentration on journalistic independence, and the role of social and cultural factors in shaping news discourse. The findings highlight challenges including censorship, intimidation, and commercial imperatives, while also identifying opportunities for innovation, resilience, and advocacy within the media industry. Ultimately, the research underscores the urgent need to safeguard press freedom, promote media pluralism, and uphold ethical journalism to foster a vibrant and democratic media landscape in Pakistan.

Independence and Neutrality Journalists Ahead 2024 Indonesian Presidential Election in Perspective Media Conglomerates

This research explains the independence and neutrality of journalists ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election from the perspective of media conglomerates. The independence and neutrality of journalists are urgently needed during the 2024 presidential election so that the resulting news products do not harm society. However, in mid the practice of media conglomeration, there is a phenomenon where media owners are active in politics and use the media for their interests. This conglomeration practice threatens the independence and neutrality of the journalists working in the media. In the end, society is the party that loses the most because journalists and the media can lead to uniform opinions due to media conglomeration. This research aims to illustrate the threat to the independence and neutrality of journalists ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election due to the practice of media conglomeration. The study uses a qualitative descriptive approach through primary data from in-depth interviews with six journalists from different media representing five media groups to get an overview of the independence and neutrality of journalists in producing journalistic products for the 2024 presidential election, which is threatened by media conglomeration. The result of the research is that the independence and neutrality of journalists make reporting on the 2024 presidential election in newsrooms difficult to achieve due to media conglomeration. Journalists who work in media whose owners are affiliated with political parties are not independent and neutral in carrying out their duties and functions. The higher the position of media owners in political parties, the more independence and neutrality of journalists and the mass media will collapse, because their relationship is very dependent on media owners.

Perception of Media Freedom in Pakistan from Journalist’s Perceptive

The research is designed to study media freedom in Pakistan, in reference to journalistic independence. To understand the levels of media freedom in the perception of journalists themselves, a survey was conducted on 120 senior journalists of mainstream print, electronic, and social media. This study aims to explore the relationship between journalistic independence and media freedom in Pakistan. This research has also observed the reasons for the downfall of media freedom in Pakistan. The model that was applied in this study is the Hierarchy of Influences Model by Shoemaker and Reese to measure the factors affecting media freedom. The institutional theory by Meyer and Rowen was also applied to this research. A quantitative research method was used, and data was collected with the help of a survey through purposive sampling. The study has figured out from the analysis of journalists’ perceptions that there is lack of media freedom and journalistic independence in Pakistan.

Communism Issues in Kompas Daily, Transformation from the Old Order to the New Order Era

The editorials of large national mass media naturally become a part of the history of political power transitions. Such is the case for Kompas Daily, one of the oldest mass media in Indonesia. Despite being banned nationally since 1966, communism is still a topic of discussion within media editorials. This research aims to present new evidence of the role of journalism in raising the issue of communism in the mass media during the regime transition from the Old Order to the New Order in Indonesia. This research uses the historiography method with a constructivist approach and found Kompas Daily editorial dynamics in responding to the issue of communism that occurred during the regime transition. The authors used data collected from the mass media, research studies, publications, online technology, interviews, and academic literature related to the communism issue in the Kompas Daily media practice, supported by a check-list for the classification of research materials, map of writing, and format of research notes. The study results show that when dealing with power, Kompas Daily practices swing journalism that adapts to developing situations and conditions. Swing media allows Kompas Daily to create a position that lets them maintain journalistic independence while remaining politically secure in accommodating the ruling regime.

Organizational Stigma and the Practice and Meaning of Work: When Work Becomes Dirty

Beyond the secondary stigmatization thesis—that organizational members in stigmatized organizations can themselves experience stigmatization—we know little about how organizational stigma affects the internal lives of organizations. Where organizations are stigmatized due to events, blameworthiness has been offered as an explanation for why stigma transfers initially to the organizational leadership—for example, top executives. We examine the existing literature’s assumptions about the transfer of stigma in an event-stigmatized organization by inductively exploring how event stigma impacts group relations and work. Our research context is a public broadcasting company that became stigmatized when it lost its journalistic independence. We find that what has been depicted as an intrinsic “transfer” of stigma to responsible units in event-stigmatized organizations is in fact highly contentious, with groups vying against one another to exert control over the practice of journalism in the hopes of implementing their own vision. The internal struggle fundamentally transformed the practice and meaning of work in the journalism units of this organization, turning the work into something “dirty” for some workers. Our findings contribute to the understanding of organizational stigma as a contested phenomenon in contrast to its earlier conceptualization as a relatively stable category, and to the understanding of the conditions under which the practice and meaning of work can be transformed in event-stigmatized organizations.

Public service media for better democracies: Testing the role of perceptual and structural variables in shaping citizens’ evaluations of public television

As PSM change and adapt –with variable outcomes– to a digital and multiplatform environment, their roles and functions are overly under severe scrutiny. The normative expectations of PSM and their performance have been extensively discussed from a theoretical and regulatory approach, but studies from an audience perspective are still rather scarce. If PSM's primary stakeholder is to be considered the citizenship it serves, it is, therefore, vital to understand what is valuable to society and how citizens assess PSM's performance. Drawing upon representative survey data from Spain (N = 1717), this study examines the role played by structural and perceptual variables in accounting for the citizen's assessment of the national public broadcaster (TVE), considering six roles: watchdog, analysis, mobilization, public forum, social empathy, and information. Findings first indicate that perceptions of independence and citizens' evaluation of TVE's journalists are positively associated with all dimensions of TVE evaluations. However, when exploring the role of political knowledge, results indicate a negative association with some of PSM's most critical functions. All in all, our research illustrates that, despite all the changes in the media landscape, when it comes to delivering the news, citizens seem to stick to values traditionally associated with PSM: independent and qualified journalism trained for and committed to the public service of delivering accurate and unbiased information.

Media Concentration and Journalistic Independence in Pakistan Audience and Journalists’ Perspectives

Media concentration has often been mechanized to weaken the culture of media competition and journalistic independence to safeguard media’s commercial and ideological interests. Herman and Chomsky’s (1988) propaganda model is utilized to measure the content creation, dissemination and consumption in terms of hegemony of media and public trust. Two questionnaires have been developed to get the responses on media ownership, media and content concentration, journalistic independence, and public trust in media from journalists and media consumers. Results of the study and ownership patterns and practices show that Pakistani media platforms; print, electronic and social are highly concentrated in terms of ownership and audience share. The majority 70% of the audiences have shown low confidence in the media. Regarding the influence of cross-media ownership on content diversity, the majority 64% of audiences viewed that cross-media ownership has a significant negative impact on content diversity and journalistic independence across the mediums. 60% of the journalists do not feel free to express their personal opinion on any issue if it differs from official line of the outlets. Majority 75% journalists feel influence from the political and religious groups on the overall journalistic independence and 61% of audiences have the opinion that media do involve in partisanship on political, religious, ethnic, and ideological grounds. 38% of journalists say that media associations do not support them at the time of pressure on them while 35% observed that the associations do helpful to some extent. A perfect correlation of ˃.92 between journalists and audience opinion on content concentration has been observed. Audiences are considered TV medium as the most trusted media platform with a 48% score while social media is remained at second place having a score of 26%.

The Vulnerabilities of Trusted Notifier-Models in Russia: The Case of Netoscope

Current digital ecosystems are shaped by platformisation, algorithmic recommender systems, and news personalisation. These (algorithmic) infrastructures influence online news dissemination and therefore necessitate a reconceptualisation of how online media control is or may be exercised in states with restricted media freedom. Indeed, the degree of media plurality and journalistic independence becomes irrelevant when reporting is available but difficult to access; for example, if the websites of media outlets are not indexed or recommended by the search engines, news aggregators, or social media platforms that function as algorithmic gatekeepers. Research approaches to media control need to be broadened because authoritarian governments are increasingly adopting policies that govern the internet <em>through</em> its infrastructure; the power they leverage against private infrastructure owners yields more effective—and less easily perceptible—control over online content dissemination. Zooming in on the use of trusted notifier-models to counter online harms in Russia, we examine the Netoscope project (a database of Russian domain names suspected of malware, botnet, or phishing activities) in which federal censor Roskomnadzor cooperates with, e.g., Yandex (that downranks listed domains in search results), Kaspersky, and foreign partners. Based<strong> </strong>on publicly available reports, media coverage, and semi-structured interviews, the article analyses the degree of influence, control, and oversight of Netoscope’s participating partners over the database and its applications. We argue that, in the absence of effective legal safeguards and transparency requirements, the politicised nature of internet infrastructure makes the trusted notifier-model vulnerable to abuse in authoritarian states.

Journalistic Independence and Public Funds: Institutional Social Communication as a Distortion of Competition in the Information Market

This research focuses on the scientific and journalistic controversies about the effects of the budget that the Spanish administration uses for institutional social communication through the media, as a potential distortion for fair competitiveness in the journalistic market. We expose the problem and then review the discourses about this phenomenon in both the academic literature and mainstream newspapers. When we compare the coverage made by traditional newspapers and the native digital media, we identify a lack of attention both in established mainstream journalism and in academic research, in contrast with the strong criticism within these recently created digital newspapers. This observation converges with the fact that the mainstream press receives much more funding from regional and national governments, becoming much more dependent on the administration.

When advertisements are disguised as news: the ethics problem in Indonesian mass media

The practice of obscuring news and advertising is still a problem in the Indonesian mass media. This research aimed to unravel journalistic ethics problems, especially those related to advertorials (advertisements delivered in an editorial style). The clear separation between news and advertisements is one of the two pillars of journalistic ethics, apart from separating facts and opinions to maintain journalistic independence. The research approach used was qualitative-descriptive, with data collection techniques through interviews (to journalists), observation and document searches. The results showed that most of the printed mass media studied tended to blur the boundaries between news and advertisements through various means, such as removing or shortening advertorial information.

Сөз бостандығы — демократияның басты талабы

Kazakh media are experiencing difficulties inherited from the Soviet media system. As a result, remnants of the old structures that hinder and restrict independent journalism are still visible. This question is relevant when studying the current state of media independence. In this context, the authors’ main idea of the author of the article is that the exercise of freedom of speech and journalistic independence is a prerequisite for the development of democracy and other rights of citizens. If the state does not allow open and fair competition among different ideas about how to govern the country, there is no guarantee that strong ideas supported by a democratic majority will prevail. At the same time, restricting the flow of information, preventing the independence of journalism - leads to violations of human rights. The authors examine the true content of freedom of speech in international law, provide examples of best practices in other countries and regions, and present concepts developed by leading international and public organizations, as well as experts from around the world.

Novos diálogos para atuação profissional

O artigo parte da hipótese de que o ambiente econômico, social e político no Brasil contribui para colocar em xeque a independência dos jornalistas. Propõe uma abordagem focalizada nas relações neoliberais do trabalho, relacionadas aos conceitos de objetividade e de independência, e na responsabilidade individual na produção e disseminação de informações considerando os impactos da tecnologia na reconfiguração da prática jornalística. A discussão é uma reflexão aberta sobre as lacunas nas bases deontológicas para o exercício profissional, considerando as imperfeições da sociedade e, portanto, do próprio jornalismo — novos diálogos para atuação e formação profissional, num convite ao pensar conjunto entre academia, mercado e profissionais, em fortalecimento à atuação política e simbiótica em relação à informação na e para a democracia.

Radio Wrocław w środowisku upolitycznionym

Celem niniejszego studium przypadku regionalnego Radia Wrocław jest analiza uwarunkowań paralelizmu politycznego w kontekście profesjonalizmu i niezależności dziennikarzy. Zakładano, iż wpływy polityczne Prawa i Sprawiedliwości po 2015 roku znajdują istotne odzwierciedlenie w funkcjonowaniu publicznego Radia Wrocław, a zasady stanowiące o profesjonalizmie zawodowym dziennikarzy tej rozgłośni, w tym klasyczne postawy bezstronności i obiektywizmu, są zagrożone. Istotnymi zmiennymi zależnymi były wartości, z jakimi utożsamiają się dziennikarze (m.in. sukces zawodowy i niezależność), oraz mechanizmy polityki kadrowej. Metody badań: badania ilościowe, przeprowadzone przez autorkę w latach 2011–2012 i 2020 metodą ankietową na dwóch próbach celowych. Analizą objęto także badania fokusowe zrealizowane w 2015 roku przez wrocławską pracownię BEELINE Research & Consulting. Wyniki i wnioski: zmiany wprowadzane w Radiu Wrocław w latach 2016–2019 miały wszechstronny charakter. W kontekście politycznym szczególnie istotne były te dotyczące kadry zarządzającej oraz linii programowej redakcji po 2017 roku. Badania empiryczne przeprowadzone w 2020 roku ukazują konsekwencje tych zmian, w postaci spadku słuchalności oraz pojawienia się nowych – w stosunku do badań z lat 2011–2012 – preferencji w hierarchii wartości dziennikarzy (związanych ze światopoglądem chrześcijańskim). Oryginalność i wartość poznawcza: próba diagnozy zjawiska paralelizmu politycznego w regionalnym radiu publicznym może stanowić cenne wprowadzenie do problematyki komunikowania politycznego z udziałem mediów publicznych. W procesie budowy kapitału społecznego kluczowe znaczenie mają orientacje zawodowe dziennikarzy, stanowiące istotny komponent wiedzy na temat wykorzystania mediów publicznych w zarządzaniu partycypacyjnym. Wyniki analizy tego zagadnienia mogą pomóc w formułowaniu rekomendacjidotyczących rozwiązań legislacyjnych i strategicznych na poziomie regionalnym i krajowym.
 *Istotne fragmenty niniejszego artykułu, obejmujące charakterystykę Radia Wrocław i wprowadzanychw nim zmian, opublikowałam wcześniej w artykule Pionierska cyfryzacja Radia Wrocław, „Studia i Perspek-tywy Medioznawcze”, 2, 2020, s. 97–113.