Nature Of Journalism Research Articles

Beyond Journalism About Journalism?: Assessing the Impact of Metajournalistic Discourse on Journalism Studies

ABSTRACT This article presents a systematic review of the literature examining metajournalistic discourse, a term proposed by Carlson to encompass all public utterances about the nature and boundaries of journalism. After collecting all scholarly output (N = 77) between 2015 and 2023, a content analysis of the articles was conducted, with particular attention paid to two key areas: the components (actors, sites/audiences, and topics) and interpretive processes (definitional control, boundary-work, and legitimation) of discourse. Our findings allow us to make a number of observations regarding the current state of research: 1) the study of metajournalistic discourse is dominated by a Western bias; 2) research approaches remain journalist-centric; 3) boundary-work concerns above all the relationship of journalism to technology and market imperatives; 4) the democratic/societal role of journalism emerges as the main legitimation strategy; 5) the topics of metajournalistic discourse have organic and prompted origins.

Veteran journalists and ‘Vieilles Filles’: how gender, age and journalism congregate in The French Dispatch

ABSTRACT This study set out to understand how representational practices of journalism and age congregate in the fiction movie The French Dispatch. Employing textual analysis, we found that the film engages with three overlapping tropes in which journalism and age congregate. First, it represents journalists as different from “normal civilians” especially in their state of loneliness which is a constant throughout the narrative. This difference narrative is especially invigorated for journalists that demographically deviate from the norm in which older women are labeled as “old maids.” Second, the film represents an intergenerational conflict, specifically in relation to explorations of journalistic neutrality. Last, the commercial nature of journalism is addressed through the representation of an older mentoring editor-in-chief who protects journalistic quality against commercial pressures. By combining the lens of journalism and ageism, we uncovered how both concepts congregate and create a unique romanticized perspective on the profession as “it used to be.”

Moonlighting as a Survival Strategy for Journalists in Southwest Nigeria

This study examines the prevalence and implications of moonlighting among journalists in Southwest Nigeria within the context of the evolving online journalism landscape. As traditional media outlets face financial challenges and digital platforms reshape news consumption patterns, many journalists are turning to secondary employment to supplement their income. Through a mixed-methods approach combining surveys and in-depth interviews with 150 journalists from Southwest Nigeria, this research explores the motivations, forms, and consequences of moonlighting practices. The findings reveal that over 70% of respondents engage in some form of moonlighting, with content creation, freelance writing, and digital marketing being the most common secondary activities. The study also found that, while moonlighting provides essential financial support, it also raises concerns about journalistic integrity, work-life balance, and the quality of news production. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the changing nature of journalism in the digital age and offers insights for media organizations, policymakers, and journalism educators in Southwest Nigeria and beyond.

Surprised by Joy: Professional Roles as Emotional Facets of News Production

ABSTRACT Research in the field often reflects the serious, labor-intensive nature of journalism; findings that would seem to reflect the understandable exodus from the profession. Equally profound however is that so many journalists stay. Building on Parks concept of joy as a news value, this study seeks to explore the ways that joy manifests in narrated journalism practice. Through in-depth interviews with US-based journalists (n = 20), this study finds that joy emerges through engaged practices and through service-oriented role performance. In this way, joy in journalism is not only experienced, but also summoned by journalists as a means to bring light to even the darkest moments of journalistic work. Professional roles then serve as an essential means for journalists to create joy, allowing for human connection that enhance journalists’ attachment to the field.

Social media posts as source for political news coverage inside and outside election campaigns: Examining effects on deliberative news media quality

Journalists increasingly cite and/or embed social media posts in news articles. While social media posts have been found to be of little deliberative quality, we do not know whether this also affects the deliberative quality of the news. Against the background of a hybrid media system and deliberative news media standards, we answer this research question with a content analysis of news articles including or not including posts from X (formerly Twitter) in the twelve widest-reaching German news websites prior and after the German general election 2021. We were particularly interested in the differences inside and outside election campaigns as the interdependence of the mass media and the political sphere is particularly pronounced during campaign periods. Results show that posts are more often cited and/or embedded in news articles inside than outside election campaigns. Articles including posts feature a greater number of actors but are not more diverse as mainly actors from the political center are referenced. Moreover, articles with posts are associated with a higher position responsiveness but on the other hand a decreased civility of the represented political discourse. This pattern only emerged inside but not outside campaign periods. These findings add to our understanding of contemporary hybrid media systems and the nature of political journalism during contentious political periods.

Art journalism: formation of aesthetic taste or satisfying consumer demand?

The article is devoted to the consideration of the dual nature of art journalism, manifested in the trajectories of its development and the corresponding functions in the modern media space — cultural-educational and information-advertising. The author of the article interprets art journalism as a sphere of professional activity, the purpose of which is to form the aesthetic taste of the target audience and convey a set of values that have universal and national significance. Arts journalism is increasingly targeting a wider audience, as evidenced by trends towards deliberate simplification of text and increasing entertainment value. At the same time, the goals of art journalism — the preservation of cultural and national values, the comprehensive development of man, his education based on examples of world culture — are embodied in the implementation of the cultural and educational function of art journalism and, as a consequence, in the development of aesthetic taste using its tools and means. In an effort to satisfy the needs of the target audience for information about facts and cultural events, about works of various types of art, art journalism also implements an information and advertising function. The intentionality of art journalism is characteristic of both trajectories of its development in the modern media space: the formation of ideas, positions, and opinions naturally determines the emergence of expected emotional states in the addressee. The article proves that the information and advertising trajectory of art journalism organically complements the cultural and educational one: in any of the areas studied, the addressee is able to expand his cognitive and emotional experience in the cultural space, possessing creative potential. The cultural and educational trajectory of the development of art journalism cannot be implemented outside of information and entertainment: expanding the intended target audience by attracting attention to cultural and artistic events contributes to the representation of the news occasion from the perspective of organizing leisure time, deepening knowledge about a particular work of art or cultural figure and, as a result, ensuring and maintaining cultural balance in society

Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) and the Challenges of Investigative Journalism in Nigeria

This paper looked at the nature, merits and challenges of investigative journalism in Nigeria, with particular attention paid to newspapers, vis-a-vis the country’s Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) 2011. The objectives of the study included highlighting the merits and challenges of investigative journalism, as well as the relevance of FoIA to investigative reporting. Data for it were collected from secondary sources, while the libertarian and social responsibility media theories were deployed to guide it. It noted the merits and challenges of investigative journalism, and concluded that investigative reporting was a tough terrain for journalists, and that the media were yet to make appreciable use of the FoIA, which could ease their work as watchdogs of society. It recommended, among other things, regular training for journalists on the reporting-relevant contents of the FoIA, as well as the conscientisation of citizens on the provisions and utility of the Act, in the hope that this would promote open government for the public good.

ЖУРНАЛИСТИКА: ПОИСКИ ОТВЕТОВ НА ВЫЗОВЫ ВРЕМЕНИ

The article discusses the factors contributing to the emergence of journalism as a professional activity and a social institution from the appearance of the Gutenberg machine tool to modern information technologies. This shows the close connection between journalism and mass communications. Professional and ethical standards of journalism are considered as a necessary condition for its functioning, going beyond which threatens the death of the profession. Journalism is presented as an institution, the full functioning of which is possible only in a democracy, where it is able to perform the functions of social management and be regulated by ethical standards developed by the professional community. The purpose of the article is to identify the contradictions that exist in theoretical approaches to understanding the nature of journalism and its public mission, as well as to consider the role of information technology and modern means of communication in managing public life when journalism loses its “authority”. The key theoretical basis of the study is the provision on the “double” nature of journalism, developed in the works of E. P. Prokhorov, G. V. Lazutina, who explain the current situation with the peculiarities of the social development of journalism. The research methods included a theoretical and conceptual synthesis of the works of researchers devoted to the history and theory of the media and journalism. Among the results of the study, we include the concretization of the conditions under which journalism can perform “double” tasks caused by its “double nature”: somehow freedom and autonomy from the forces of influence. In a democracy, journalism is able to participate in the management of public life, report information about real events and exercise self-regulation. But when the authorities put journalists in a subordinate position, journalism goes into the “underground” zone and cannot be a public good. New media and modern means of communication give modern journalism a chance to maintain its social status even under the most negative scenario for the development of society. Media freelance is presented in the article as a way of autonomous functioning of the media, which allows modern journalists to be independent of the authorities in the implementation of professional tasks. At the same time, the creation of information products outside of editorial teams brings us back to the traditions of “personal journalism” of the Enlightenment, when journalism was not a social institution and did not control the life of society. The development of information technologies, which led to a change in the way of life of people and the scope of their professional activity, today’s socio-political realities indicate a change in the position of journalism in Russia, one of the most important social institutions.

بلوچستان میں صحافت کا سفر:انسانی حقوق اور اخلاقی اقدار سے متعلق مسائل کے تناظر میں ایک جائزہ

This research article presents an overview of the state of journalism in Baluchistan, a region of significant geographical and political importance where the role of media is crucial in shaping public discourse. However, journalism in Baluchistan has been greatly affected due to the challenges it faces. Despite these obstacles, journalism plays a vital role in bringing critical issues to light, such as human rights violations, economic disparities, and regional conflicts. Furthermore, the excerpt highlights the emerging landscape of media in Baluchistan, where the rise of digital platforms and social media has transformed the dissemination of information and created new avenues for citizen journalism. The digital transformation has brought both opportunities and challenges, and the excerpt discusses these changes in the context of Baluchistan. In conclusion, this excerpt sheds light on the complex and dynamic nature of journalism in Baluchistan, acknowledging that despite formidable obstacles, journalists in the region continue to play a crucial role in reporting on local and global issues. Baluchistan’s journalists require continuous attention, support, and advocacy to safeguard press freedom and professional integrity in this unique region.

The gene of education in the social nature of journalism

The article examines an essential aspect of media education and journalistic practice related to the role and importance of the media in the process of public education. The features of the public transfer of moral attitudes from producers of mass information (journalists) to its consumers (citizens) are revealed.

Autonomies and Dependencies: Shifting Configurations of Power in the Platformization of News

In this introduction, we draw together the articles in the special issue on the platformization of news, highlighting that the articles contribute by answering two central questions. First, what is the extent of contemporary journalists and news organizations’ platform dependence, and how does this vary according to geographic context, organizational resources, and other factors? Second, what is the nature of journalism’s platform dependency? Platforms’ most overt editorial influence on news publishers (e.g., dictating areas of coverage, reshaping headlines, and so on) has arguably waned in recent years – and was never straightforward to begin with. The articles in this special issue encourage us to consider how the platform/publisher relationship is now defined by more subtle, or even hidden, dependencies that are nevertheless impactful. We further argue that various forms of power are at play in the shifting, contextual and embedded configurations of dependency and autonomy in the platform/publisher relationship. The forms of power, which we can observe across the articles, and which matter for dependence/autonomy configurations, are infrastructural, cultural, and geopolitical.

Primetime Nationalism: Analysing Monologues on India’s Republic TV and Times Now During Indo-China Border Conflict

ABSTRACT Several studies exploring the sociology of news have identified and established a range of factors that influence journalism and shape media narratives. However, little has been known regarding the narrative construction in the English language broadcast media in India. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between (re)emerging right-wing nationalism and English language television journalism in India. A qualitative thematic discourse analysis was conducted on the monologues on Republic TV and Times Now’s primetime debates during the India–China border conflict, 2020. The study reports a major shift in the nature of TV journalism in India: far from being passive observers of right-wing nationalist ideology in the 1990s, TV journalists in contemporary India are acting as active participants in propagating them. The study complements existing works on sociology of news by demonstrating how journalism is shaped by dominant political sentiments.

Understanding media empowerment: citizen journalism in Palestine

This study addresses the nature of citizen journalism in Palestine, with the chief aim of identifying its role in promoting professionalism, ethics, and objectivity, and empowering digital media, information accessibility, and democratization of media production. To this end, this study uses data from different universities across Palestine obtained through surveys that address digital media empowerment and non-professional users in the new media landscape. The study sample used was selected using the stratified sampling method. Upon completion of a pilot test, a total of 300 questionnaires were distributed among undergraduates of 10 universities across Palestine based on their willingness to participate and availability. Our results suggest that official media outlets can benefit from citizen journalism by providing accurate and valid sources of information to citizen journalists to increase engagement among their audiences as a result of enhanced perceptions of independency and credibility. However, our findings also reveal that citizen journalism does not make a significant difference in undermining gatekeeping practices over new media content in Palestine. Moreover, the results show that there is no relationship or correlation between the idea of adopting citizen journalism as a complementary method to traditional journalism and the credibility and reliability of news stories presented by citizen journalists.

Arguments vs emotions: Argumentative models as a tool of ideological confrontation in the mass media

The article analyzes the texts covering the special military operation (SVO) of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine in the modern media discourse. The question of language strategies and tactics used in media texts belonging to authors professing different ideological positions is considered. By means of linguistic-stylistic, functional-grammatical and comparative analyses, it is concluded that in the texts, on the one hand, pro-Russian-minded, and on the other — liberal-minded journalists and bloggers, different argumentation methods are chosen as language strategies. As a result of the study of texts devoted to the topic of SVO, the author of the article comes to the conclusion about the predominantly reasoned nature of the speech of pro-Russian authors and, conversely, about the predominantly evaluative and hypothetical, i. e., in general, the emotional type of speech in the texts of liberal-minded authors. It is argued that the main method of argumentation of “pro-Russian texts” is the factual method, whereas the main methods of argumentation in “liberal texts” are evaluative and hypothetical methods. Special attention is paid to the question of the place and role of argumentation in texts representing new knowledge. In this regard, the problem of logical and cognitive actions relevant to substantiating truth in scientific communication is considered. Based on a comparative analysis of the logic of argumentation in journalistic and scientific communication, a conclusion is made about the similarity of communicative and cognitive strategies of science and quality journalism. The description of argumentative actions representing the position of journalists and bloggers belonging to the liberal wing of the media sphere allows the author to speak about the low-quality nature of liberal journalism.

#JusticeforGeorgeFloyd: How Instagram facilitated the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.

We present and analyze a database of 1.13 million public Instagram posts during the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, which erupted in response to George Floyd's public murder by police on May 25. Our aim is to understand the growing role of visual media, focusing on a) the emergent opinion leaders and b) the subsequent press concerns regarding frames of legitimacy. We perform a comprehensive view of the spatial (where) and temporal (when) dynamics, the visual and textual content (what), and the user communities (who) that drove the social movement on Instagram. Results reveal the emergence of non-institutional opinion leaders such as meme groups, independent journalists, and fashion magazines, which contrasts with the institutionally reinforcing nature of Twitter. Visual analysis of 1.69 million photos show symbols of injustice are the most viral coverage, and moreover, actual protest coverage is framed positively, in contrast with combatant frames traditionally found from legacy media. Together, these factors helped facilitate the online movement through three phases, culminating with online international solidarity in #BlackOutTuesday. Through this case study, we demonstrate the precarious nature of protest journalism, and how content creators, journalists, and everyday users co-evolved with social media to shape one of America's largest-ever human rights movements.

Journalistic Quality Criteria under the Magnifying Glass: A Content Analysis of the Winning Stories of World Press Photo Foundation’s Digital Storytelling Contest

This study explores aspects of journalistic quality in complex digital stories. Based on a tailored overview of the potentials of online journalism and digital long form stories for journalistic quality, all available award-winning stories of the subcategory Interactive of the World Press Photo’s Digital Storytelling Contest from 2011 to 2021 (n = 31) are examined according to their structure and journalistic quality criteria using Grounded Theory. The findings add to the long and ongoing research history in journalism and communication studies on the question of what journalistic quality entails and can be used as a basis for further analyses focusing on the technological and structural nature of digital stories and high-quality journalism. The analysis revealed a differentiation between linear stories and chapter stories with linear elements. While a multimedia nature, continuous text and video content prevailed in both forms, they differed in terms of their complexity as well as certain expressions of quality criteria. Gamification and immersion emerged as new yet debatable aspects of journalistic quality in digital stories.

Haber Oyunları: Deneyimlenebilir Gerçeklik, Ludenik Haber Okuma, Amaç ve Normların Çatışması

Gazetecilik, bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerinin gelişmesine bağlı olarak medya üretim çeşitliliğinin yakınsaklığından etkilenmektedir. Üretim ilişkilerinin katılımcı kültürü benimsemesi ve transmedya hikaye anlatıcılığının gazetecilik formlarında etkili olması haber anlatısını da dönüştürmüştür. Bu kapsamda eğlence (hazcı) ve bilgi edinme (faydacı) ihtiyaçlarının sektörel yakınsaklığı, haber oyunlarının üretimine ortam sağlamıştır. Bu derleme çalışmanın amacı gazetecilik motivasyonları ile oyun motivasyonlarının disiplinlerarası ilişkiler içerisinde ortaya çıkardığı haber oyunları; ludenik haber okuma teorisi ile temellendirerek üretim ve tüketim ilişkileri, anlatı yapısı, zamansallık, etik kaygılar, ideolojik şüpheler ve merhamet yorgunluğu kavramlarıyla tartışmaktır. Gazetecilik için yeni bir anlatı biçimi olan haber oyun üretim ortamlarında örtüşen amaçlar ve çatışan normlar bir aradadır. Bu anlamda alanyazında yer alan araştırmalarda haber oyunlarının; haberciliğe getireceği yenilik ve okuyucuya sağlayabileceği kazanımların, gerçeklik ve merhamete dair şüpheler ile karşı karşıya kalabileceği görülmüştür. Bu şüphelere rağmen haber oyunları, oyunların eğlenceli ya da deneyimlenebilir unsurlarını haber anlatısına dahil ederek ve gazeteciliğin niteliğini koruyarak, içerikteki titizliği biçimsel çekicilikle birleştiren etkili bir içerik üretim yoluna dönüşebilir.

The Challenges to the Boundaries of Journalism Under the New Media Environment

Going back to the origin of journalism, the nature of journalism has changed dramatically, in the beginning, journalists were unlike doctors or lawyers, they did not have professional knowledge, standard of requirement, or occupational norms. During the history of journalism, they always try their best to draw boundaries, journalism has become to a professional field with its legitimacy and authority. But the change in journalism is not stop, especially at the internet society, the boundaries became more and more blurry and there are too many factors that force journalism to keep changing, like free comments and participatory news. This essay will include three main parts, in the first part, I propose to illustrate the boundaries of journalism in the past, and how legitimacy and authority was brought by the process of boundary-drawing. In the second part, I propose to give two examples to explain how the boundaries of journalism were threatened. Finally, I will state how journalism responded to challenges and how the boundaries have shifted.

قول الحقيقة للسلطة: مبادئ أساسية لتطوير تعليم الصحافة دوليًا

أدّى تظافر مجموعة من العوامل إلى الوصول بالصحافة وتدريسها إلى حافة الانهيار. ومن بين هذه العوامل صعود اليمين المتطرف، وتقدم التكنولوجيا الرقمية، وتدهور البنى الاقتصادية لوسائل الاعلام. وتقدم هذه العوامل متحدة مع تزايد عولمة الصحافة والاعلام تحدياتٍ وفرصاً جديدة للصحافة والاعلام مهنيا وتربويا. يقدم هذا البحث 10 مبادئ أساسية لتوجيه عملية تدريس الصحافة والاتصال دوليًا وتعزيزها. ونقدم أيضّا مبدأً ختاميًا لتدريس الصحافة والاتصال يمكن اعتماده أساسًا لتعليم طلبة الكليات على نحو عام.

Bangladesh health journalism: A pilot study exploring the nature and quality of newspaper health reporting

Introduction: The media is an important source of health-related information for patients, general public, policymakers and health professionals and has a large influence on their knowledge and opinions. No studies so far have explored the content, nature and quality of health journalism in Bangladesh. Objectives: To i) explore the nature and quality of media coverage of health stories in Bangladeshi newspapers, ii) understand the perceptions of reporters about medical- and health journalism, including the perceived barriers and facilitators, and iii) identify factors influencing health reporting. Methods: In a mixed-method pilot study, during a five-month period, all medical and healthcare related news articles published in three leading Bangladeshi daily newspapers (N=461), were content analyzed, and journalists were asked in a questionnaire about their knowledge and medical skills. Results: Only 44% of the articles reported in a positive tone on health services aspects, while 27.1% were related to malpractice or treatment errors. Many articles contained questionable medical information (49.9%), mostly regarding unregistered clinicians (67.5%), often referred to as ‘doctor’. Treatment errors by unregistered clinicians were reported seven times more often than those by registered physicians (p<0.001). A survey was completed by 23 selected medical- or health journalists (77% response); most of them (78.3%) had no previous training in health journalism and in only 26.1% this was offered by their media house. Journalists self-reported their own insufficient understanding of medical terminology (73.9%), ethics (95.7%) and relevant laws (91.3%). Conclusion: This study is an eye opener about shortage of medical knowledge among health journalists in a developing country. This shortage may often result in misinformation regarding medical (mal)practice, health laws and ethics. There is ample room for improvement of the quality of health news reporting and health journalism skills in Bangladesh. N=287