Mark Deuze – What is journalism? Professional identity
and ideology of journalists reconsidered.
Journalism is and has been theorized, researched, studied and criticized
worldwide by people coming from a wide variety of disciplines. But several
authors in various parts of the world have signaled a lack of coherence in the
field of journalism. The field of journalism has had to balance between
industry and university, each with its own institutionalized expectations and
assumptions. In this article the concept of journalism as an occupational
ideology as a possible meeting point for journalism studies an education is
explored.
Journalism as ideology
Conceptualizing journalism as an ideology primarily means
understanding journalism in terms of how journalists give meaning to
their newswork.
In decades of journalism studies, scholars refer to the journalists’
professionalization process as a distinctly ideological development.
Most of the authors do not make explicit what this ideology consists of,
other than claiming it contains ‘self-contradictory oppositional values’
In the particular context of journalism as a profession, ideology can be
seen as a system of beliefs characteristic of a particular group,
including – but not limited to – the general process of the production of
meaning and ideas
Overall findings and conclusions of papers suggest that journalists in
elective democracies share similar characteristics and speak of similar
values in the context of their daily work, but apply these in a variety of
ways to give meaning to what they do.
Ideology is seen here as a process over time, through which the sum of
ideas and views of a particular group is shaped, but also as a process by
which other idea’s and views are excluded or marginalized.
Reese (2001) suggest the ideological perspective can be seen as a global
factor of influence on journalistic decision-making processes.
Journalisms’ ideology is typified by:
1. Public service (watchdogs/ newshounds): journalists share a sense of
‘doing it for the public’.
2. Objectivity: objectivity is a key element of professional self-perception of
journalists.
and ideology of journalists reconsidered.
Journalism is and has been theorized, researched, studied and criticized
worldwide by people coming from a wide variety of disciplines. But several
authors in various parts of the world have signaled a lack of coherence in the
field of journalism. The field of journalism has had to balance between
industry and university, each with its own institutionalized expectations and
assumptions. In this article the concept of journalism as an occupational
ideology as a possible meeting point for journalism studies an education is
explored.
Journalism as ideology
Conceptualizing journalism as an ideology primarily means
understanding journalism in terms of how journalists give meaning to
their newswork.
In decades of journalism studies, scholars refer to the journalists’
professionalization process as a distinctly ideological development.
Most of the authors do not make explicit what this ideology consists of,
other than claiming it contains ‘self-contradictory oppositional values’
In the particular context of journalism as a profession, ideology can be
seen as a system of beliefs characteristic of a particular group,
including – but not limited to – the general process of the production of
meaning and ideas
Overall findings and conclusions of papers suggest that journalists in
elective democracies share similar characteristics and speak of similar
values in the context of their daily work, but apply these in a variety of
ways to give meaning to what they do.
Ideology is seen here as a process over time, through which the sum of
ideas and views of a particular group is shaped, but also as a process by
which other idea’s and views are excluded or marginalized.
Reese (2001) suggest the ideological perspective can be seen as a global
factor of influence on journalistic decision-making processes.
Journalisms’ ideology is typified by:
1. Public service (watchdogs/ newshounds): journalists share a sense of
‘doing it for the public’.
2. Objectivity: objectivity is a key element of professional self-perception of
journalists.
