Role Of Journalism Research Articles

A Watchdog That No Longer Barks: Role Performance of Investigative Journalism in China in the Digital Age

ABSTRACT This article examines the practices of investigative journalism in China in changing times. It does so by focusing on the case study of Southern Metropolitan Daily (SMD), a well-known newspaper in China which built its name on investigative journalism. The aim is to understand how the changing social conditions have shaped investigative journalism and transformed the role performance of investigative journalists. Drawing on data from multiple sources, including archival research, in-depth interviews, and news content analysis, the study found that under a trio of pressures: technological disruption, economic downturn and most importantly tightened political control, the media have been repositioning and reorienting themselves in relation to power. Investigative journalism, although it still retains the name, has shifted to trumpeting the value of constructiveness rather than criticism. This study contributes to the ongoing debates on journalistic role performance by showing how the watchdog and facilitator roles are combined in the practice of Chinese investigative journalists in changing times. It reaffirms the complex cooccurrence of journalistic roles and adds insights into the possibility of roles overlapping, not only across different dimensions but within the same dimension of power relations.

Words and numbers: a comparative study of medical and journalism students’ descriptors of risk, numeracy and preferences for health risk communication

BackgroundGiven the complementary roles of health professionals and journalists in communicating health risks to patients and the public, there have been calls for physicians to work with journalists to improve the quality of health information received by the public. Understanding the preferences of medical and journalism students for the way in which health risks are communicated and their understanding of words used to describe risk is an important first step to inform interdisciplinary learning.MethodsMedical and journalism students (n = 203) completed an online survey where they were given qualitative descriptors of risk such as ‘a chance’, ‘probably’ and ‘unlikely’, and asked to assign a number that represents what the word means to them. Different formats of communicating risk (percentages, natural frequency and visual aids) were provided and students were asked to select and explain their preference. A thematic analysis of reasons was conducted. Numeracy and perceived mathematics ability were measured.ResultsNumbers assigned to the descriptor ‘A chance’ had the highest variability for medical students. Numbers assigned to the descriptor ‘Probably’ had the highest variability for journalism students. Using visual aids was the most popular format for risk communication for both courses (56% of medical students and 40% of journalism students). Using percentages was twice as popular with journalism students compared to medical students (36% vs. 18%). Perceived mathematics ability was lower in students with a preference for natural frequencies and in journalism students, however performance on an objective numeracy scale was similar for all three formats (percentages, natural frequency and visual aids). Reasons for choosing a preferred format included good communication, eliciting a response, or learning style.ConclusionsEducation on health risk communication for medical and journalism students should emphasize the need for qualitative descriptors of risk to be combined with the best available number. Students are already considering their role as future communicators of health risks and open to tailoring the mode of presentation to their audience. Further research is required on the design and evaluation of interdisciplinary workshops in health risk communication for medical and journalism students to maximise the opportunities for future inter-professional working.

In Media We Trust - A Solution to Disinformation and Fake News in Albanian Audiences during the Russia-Ukraine War

In this study we have analyzed the impact of disinformation and fake news in Albanian Audiences during the Russia-Ukraine war and we present the solutions given from the Albanian audiences and Albanian journalists in fighting these phenomena.We have explored how the Albanian audiences have reacted to the information received from the international and national media during the Russia-Ukraine war, what media narratives were disseminated and how endangered these audiences were. We have investigated the role of Albanian journalists and their recommendations to minimize the spread of disinformation in times of crises. Do we trust the media? What is the main and immediate solution to disinformation and fake news during crises? What about other solutions?Two hypotheses have been formulated: Hypothesis 1 (H1): Albanian audiences have been faced with disinformation and fake news, creating uncertainty about the accuracy of the events during the Russia-Ukraine war, and Hypothesis 2 (H2): To fight disinformation and fake news primarily it is needed that media and journalists increase their professional level.By means of a qualitative content analysis in the Albanian media (mainstream and social) and two online questionnaires on Albanian audiences (N=387) and Albanian journalists (N=42) we find that Albanian audiences have been faced with disinformation and fake news and in order to fight disinformation and fake news primarily it is needed that the media and journalists increase their professional level.

Navigating Ideals and Realities: On Using Reconstruction Interviews to Study Journalistic Roles

ABSTRACT The study of journalistic roles has become a staple in journalism research. The concrete link between role perceptions and role performance, however, remains in a “black box”. This article introduces reconstruction interviews as a holistic approach that blends perceptual and performative approaches to the study of journalistic roles. It discusses the method’s specific benefits and weaknesses, when applied to explore the relationship between role ideals and practice and demonstrates how the method can tease out different levels of influence on journalistic roles. This is done by showcasing reconstruction interviews with European journalists (n = 15) who routinely cover large technology corporations. Notably, the method provides tangible reference points for anchoring journalistic roles in their performance and establishes an empirical connection between ideals and practice, all while maintaining a crucial conceptual distinction between roles emerging as ideals and practices. The reconstruction of journalistic roles promotes critical reflection, and facilitates a holistic analysis of journalism practice across micro-, meso-, and macro-levels.

Journalistic Role Performance in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Events, Media Systems and Journalistic Practice

ABSTRACT This study analyses data gathered as part of an international comparative study of journalistic role performance during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We situate role performance at the intersection between anterior factors that shape journalistic decision-making and practice, and the contingent events and issues journalists are tasked with communicating. Based on this, we ground our analysis by considering (a) how news is shaped by media systems, and how Australia’s media system may be characterised; (b) studies of journalists’ work during previous health crises; and (c) analyses of media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis focuses, firstly, on whether role performance in Australia’s 2020 news coverage was discernibly “consensus-based”; and, secondly, on whether there were any indicators of Australian coverage being “polarised” during this period. Our findings suggest role performance in 2020 was broadly reflective of a relative political consensus and that evidence of polarisation was limited. We find, nevertheless, that there were notable differences between different mediums and outlets, and reflect on factors that may have contributed to such differences. In light of this, we emphasise the importance of taking account of the relationship between local contexts and historical contingency in considering how role performances are produced.

Must I follow the script? Professional objectivity, journalistic roles and the Black community journalist

This study examines how Black journalists in local legacy newspapers, digital startup media and historically Black newspapers have expressed journalistic objectivity and enacted journalistic roles. Findings showed more neutral coverage in historically white media, which was expected, while coverage in the historically Black newspaper and the digital startup reflected an advocacy role—one that did not fit within the four expected roles. Also, a “clarifier” role emerged in which journalists encouraged local protest groups to distinguish their identities.

The Reflection of New Media on the Functions and Roles of Journalists: An Examination of Scholarly Literature

The Reflection of New Media on the Functions and Roles of Journalists: An Examination of Scholarly Literature

«Не всякому виден труд редактора…»: Рецензия на новую книгу о М. Н. Каткове

The article presents a review of the monograph by Susan Fusso, an American researcher, and professor of Russian, East European, and Eurasian languages at Wesleyan University, published by Bibliorossika Publishing House and devoted to the role of an authoritative journalist, editor, and publisher of the largest organs of the Russian conservative press M. N. Katkov — in the formation of the concept of the Russian novel of the second half of the 19th century. The author’s attention focuses on Katkov’s relationship with the major Russian writers of the second half of the 19th century, I. S. Turgenev, F. M. Dostoevsky, and L. N. Tolstoy. Based on a broad historical and literary context, a scrupulous analysis of the journalistic speeches of the journalist and the literary texts of Turgenev, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy, the researcher rethinks the importance of Katkov in the literary process of the 1860s and 1880s. The review describes the structure of the monograph, and the range of issues raised in it, highlights the most successful and original author’s conclusions, and outlines the prospects for further research.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND MEDIA INFLUENCE

The "climate change" refers to the long-term changes in the atmosphere, mostly caused by rising global temperatures. The primary drivers of these changes are human activities that emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The objective of this research inquiry is to examine multiple facets, encompassing climate change ramifications on a global scale, portrayal in the media, level of public consciousness, governmental regulations and educational endeavors within Kazakhstan. This research employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate media coverage, public awareness, government actions and international cooperation pertaining to climate change. Examining media influence on public opinion in Kazakhstan, the study scrutinizes the role of journalists and media outlets in fostering awareness and action on climate change issues. The paper analyses information from authority organizations` surveys, opinion polls and Google Trends data. The media assumes a vital role in shaping public opinion and transmitting knowledge, with esteemed global publications like The Guardian and BBC. Although Kazakhstan is vulnerable to climate change, there have been significant advancements in media coverage. Nevertheless, there are ongoing obstacles such as the scarcity of resources and the lack of attention from media owners. The study has discovered a notable deficiency in the inclusion of climate change in national curriculum, impeding the acquisition of the necessary information to effectively handle climate-related issues. This research establishes a foundation for the ongoing cooperation of media outlets, governments, and international organizations in tackling the multifaceted issues brought by climate change, emphasizing the pursuit of sustainable development goals.

WHY DO ARAB-PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS DELETE TWEETS?

In Israel and Palestine, as in many countries, the majority of journalists operate an account on Twitter for different purposes, from news gathering and reporting to attracting new audiences and maintaining a relationship with their readers (Hanusch & Bruns, 2017). Many studies of Twitter’s journalistic role have examined journalists’ tweeting practices and the ways in which Twitter serves as an organizational and individual branding tool (e.g., Molyneux, Holton, & Lewis, 2018). However, only a few studies have examined the patterns of tweet deletion among journalists. Ringel and Davidson (2022) conceptualized the practice of tweet deletion as an instance of “proactive ephemerality, a social media phenomenon that occurs when users intentionally remove their own content from their social media profiles manually or with the aid of mechanical tools” (p. 1218). In this study, we examine the motivations of Arab-Palestinian journalists who operate in Israel for deleting their tweets. Based on semi-structured interviews with Arab-Palestinian journalists working in Israel, we seek to understand why they proactively erase tweets. Further, we wish to consider the implications of such an act for Twitter’s functioning as a public record.

THE ROLE OF JOURNALISTS IN UNCOVERING THE MURDER OF BRIGADIER JOSHUA

This research aims to determine the role of journalists as part of the supervisory pillar of the authorities, in reporting on the murder case of Brigadier Joshua. Journalists play a role in providing accurate information regarding the actual situation, in this case uncovering the murder of Brigadier Joshua. So that the tangled thread of the murder case of Brigadier Joshua committed by his superiors can be revealed. To answer this problem, researchers used qualitative research methods and conducted in-depth interviews using a phenomenological approach. The results of the research show that the initial information conveyed by the Indonesian National Police (Polri) regarding the death of Brigadier Yosua gave rise to skepticism among journalists so this information was not immediately accepted. Regarding this matter, journalists stimulate the public by using diction, for example with the word "irregularities". Journalists who initially only conveyed information and tended to be passive, became active players through verification and independent investigations carried out to take various angles or framing of the case in question so that they were able to move the parties to react and make this case an important issue within the National Police that must be resolved immediately, and demands the government to enforce the law as fairly as possible

Charting The Digital Odyssey: Exploring Challenges and Unleashing Opportunities for Journalism in The Digital Era

The digital era has ushered in a transformation in journalism, reshaping news creation, dissemination, and consumption. This article examines the challenges and opportunities within contemporary journalism's digital landscape. This article comprehensively analyzes the dynamics of modern journalism in the digital age. It draws from scholarly research and industry insights to explore the evolving roles of journalists, the influence of social media, the rise of data journalism, and the imperative of media literacy. Our research combines literature reviews, industry analysis, and critical examination to provide a holistic perspective on the digital age's challenges and opportunities for journalists and media entities. The study reveals that journalists now function as information curators and investigative watchdogs in a digital information deluge. Social media is a primary news source, challenging traditional hierarchies while offering new engagement possibilities. Data journalism amplifies storytelling, but demands increased digital and statistical literacy among journalists. Promoting media literacy in society is essential for effectively navigating the digital information landscape. In conclusion, this article offers insights into contemporary journalism's challenges and prospects in the digital age. Addressing the evolving roles of journalists, the impact of social media, the rise of data journalism, and the importance of media literacy provide valuable guidance for practitioners, scholars, and media consumers. In navigating the digital frontier, journalists and media entities can maintain their pivotal roles as trusted sources of information in an ever-evolving media ecosystem.

Roles of journalists in media literacy initiatives: trainees and trainers. Continuity, collaboration, and sustainability of media literacy trainings to mitigate disinformation in Portugal

This paper aims to foster the debate on Media Literacy (ML) projects with a focus on disinformation. We analyse initiatives carried out locally in Portugal, considering the principles of ML, the necessary development of skills and competences, as well as the importance of the journalistic action and the consequences of platformization on professional practices. Mixed methods are applied to collect and analyse quali-quantitative data from ML projects and trainings involving multiple stakeholders. Inquiring three independent samples (editors-in-chief, journalists trained in ML, teachers trained by journalists in ML) the research questions address the importance of journalists’ participation in ML within different roles, as well as the training quality and projects’ assessment. Findings show a lack of specialised knowledge, practical tools, and continuous training as well the need for more tailor-made programs and evaluation resources that allow for the creation and promotion of more effective ML training programs. This contribution is therefore two-folded: a) it aims to enhance the operational aspects of media training in the field, based on a continuous improvement logic and b) it explores a specific evaluative example on how the feedback from training can help improve research efforts in the media literacy field. Conclusions systematise the assumptions, stemming from an articulation of ML stakeholders’ perspectives, that guide the implementation, improvement, and assessment of training: collaboration, continuity, and sustainability. These inductive categories allow for the development of theoretical-practical dimensions of the processes for evaluating innovative training against disinformation which may in turn have an inoculation role in the wider public sphere. We suggest improvements to the methodological-operational processes to involve journalists, to do follow-up, assessment, and implementation of wider training projects, contributing to applied research.

News for (Me and) You: Exploring the Reporting Practices of Citizen Journalists on TikTok

ABSTRACT The social media platform TikTok is increasingly becoming an important space for sharing and finding news and information, especially for younger people. Most scholarly research examining news sharing on TikTok has focused on practices by professional journalists and news organizations; however, these are only a small percentage of the actors who make up the news information sharing ecosystem on the platform. In particular, citizen journalists play a large role in creating and disseminating news on TikTok. Thus, I interviewed 14 TikTok citizen journalists to understand their news reporting practices. Findings suggest TikTok citizen journalists are guided by the platform logics and concerns around misinformation in the content they post on the platform. This study contributes to the literature on the role of citizen journalists and social media in shaping news disseminated online.

Journalistic Role Performance in Times of COVID

ABSTRACT This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on a content analysis of newspaper, television, radio and online news in 37 countries. We test a set of hypotheses derived from two perspectives on the role of journalism in health crises. Mediatization theories assume that news media tend to sensationalize or to politicize health crises. A contrasting perspective holds that journalists shift toward more deferential and cooperative stances toward health and political authorities in a health crisis, attempting to mobilize the public to act according to the best science. Hypotheses derived from these perspectives are tested using the standard measures of journalistic roles developed by the Journalistic Role Performance Project. Results show that the deference/cooperation/consensus perspective is better supported, with media moving away from the Watchdog and Infotainment, and toward performance of the Service and Civic roles. We also explore differences in the pattern by country.

Moral Judgment and Social Critique in Journalistic News Satire

Journalistic news satire is a satire subgenre that is gaining legitimacy in academic research as well as in the journalistic field as an opinion news format and arena for public debate. News satirists claim journalistic roles and operate under the mandate of exposing moral wrongs and auditing power. The development of a more substantial news satire coincides with an observed repoliticization of humor and comedy and intensified moral negotiation around comedic content, particularly on social media. Based on the Moral Foundation Theory, this study identifies moral judgments in journalistic news satire, using a content analysis of TV news satire material from Sweden and the U.S. The results show an overwhelming majority of moral judgments related to the individualizing foundations of Harm and Fairness, while the binding foundations of Ingroup, Authority, and Purity were less frequent. In addition, the results show strong similarities between the two countries in the material, indicating moral common ground and displaying how moral judgment is connected to the inherent nature of satire in general and the genre conventions of journalistic news satire in particular.

폭염재난 취약계층에 대한 보도주체의 인식

Journalists' awareness of heat wave vulnerable groups is revealed through the media. This affects news recipients who mainly rely on the media for disaster-related information, and it is highly likely that news recipients will accept information revealed through the media as is. As heat wave disasters continue to increase, this study was conducted to investigate and analyze journalists' perceptions of specific groups reported in the media to find factors that influence the reporting frame for heat wave vulnerable groups. For this purpose, a survey was conducted targeting current reporters belonging to broadcasting companies who had experience reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups. The survey consisted of multiple-choice and open-ended questions on a 4-point Likert scale. The multiple-choice questions consisting of a 4-point Likert scale were divided into dimensions through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and factors were classified into reporting environment and reporting effect. In addition, we attempted to understand the specific opinions of journalists through descriptive questions, and through this, we were able to identify the main messages they wanted to convey to news recipients through current reporters' motivations for covering heat wave vulnerable groups and reporting. As a result, first, it was found that there are reporting practices that create a specific frame when covering and reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups. Second, current reporters appeared to think positively about the current reporting method on heat wave vulnerable groups. Third, it was confirmed that current journalists approach reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups as a journalistic role and reporting practice. Fourth, it was revealed that the report on heat wave vulnerable groups was intended to urge national and local governments to take measures against vulnerable groups. It was confirmed that the journalist's mission and reporting practices regarding the socially disadvantaged influenced the composition of the reporting frame for the heat wave vulnerable group. According to reporting practices, emotional language and images are used to express heat wave vulnerable groups in the news, and it was confirmed that current reporters maintain this reporting method because they believe it is effective in preparing recipients for heat waves. However, there is a possibility that the intention of reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups may conflict with the way of expressing heat wave vulnerable groups according to reporting practices. Current reporters composed news with the intention of urging measures at the national and local government levels through reporting on heat wave vulnerable groups, but the method of expression was conveyed to news recipients through emotional reporting language and video about the living conditions of heat wave vulnerable groups. It is being done. This needs to be confirmed through research on news recipients. In the future, based on the results of this study, we expect to be able to identify differences in perception between reporting and receiving subjects regarding heat wave vulnerable groups.

Empowering the Public Sphere or Echoing Official Sources? Journalists’ Use of Twitter in Conflict-affected Societies

ABSTRACT In the conflict-affected Cypriot society, journalism’s role becomes crucial in providing a conducive environment for peace process. The article studies the Cypriot journalists’ use of Twitter during the intensification of the Cyprus Peace Process (CPP), 01 September 2016–31 July 2017. Through network analysis, the article examines the clusters within which information about the CPP flows and the journalistic roles that are enacted. It investigates the relationships between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot journalists and their connection with official and unofficial sources through their tweeting practice during negotiations, to suggest that social media tools in the hands of journalists in deeply divided societies like Cyprus, could be useful for renegotiating their normative and cognitive professional roles and for developing a model of journalism that would contribute positively the peace process.

Lexico-grammatical Analysis of Media Representation of Men in Rape Coverage

This study seeks to examine the representation of men in rape coverage produced by Thai media. The analysis is theoretically triangulated between Biber et al.’s markers of stance and Mellado’s journalistic role performance. Methodologically, corpus-assisted discourse analysis is adopted. The corpus consists of 167 news articles with a total number of 126,150 words. The period of publication ranges from 2007 to 2022. Findings indicate that male perpetrators are discursively vilified through discourse structures which signify augmented agency to inflict harm upon victims. To illustrate, the lexical item rape is made to occur simultaneously with other material verb processes which intensify an act of violence such as bludgeon and kill. In contrast, the agency of male victims is downplayed. This is evidenced in the fact that their voice is expressed through other parties such as witnesses and NGO officers instead of emanating from the victims themselves. Possible ways to humanise the representation are discussed.

A Global Perspective on Data Journalism Materiality: Knowledge Production across Public Transparency Infrastructure Environments

It is widely accepted that data materiality serves as the breeding ground of data journalism’s performativity, in some cases functioning as the sole ingredient for news construction. Material identity is closely tied to the historical process that originated it, yet few studies have explored how unequal public policies on government transparency affect news production in data journalism. We bring in a fresh perspective on materiality that taps into research on public transparency to offer a framework for understanding how external social actors influence data knowledge construction. This study analyzed data journalism project entries in the Global Editors Network (GEN) and Sigma Awards from 61 countries to explore data journalism process and products across transparency environments. Results suggest that journalists operating in open data infrastructure are more likely to exhibit a dependency on preprocessed public data and their output exhibits topical diversity, while journalists operating in closed data infrastructures are more likely to use Right to Information legislation and alternative data sources. This study informs the debate on the empiricism of data journalism in knowledge construction, emphasizing how data access (or lack of access) affects not only journalistic epistemology but also power relationships and journalistic roles.