Journalism ethics theorizing is increasingly preoccupied with identifying and articulating universal norms and standards for media systems across various cultures. This study offers an empirical contribution to this topic by examining the ethical orientations of journalists in 18 countries. Country-level, or ideological, factors, rather than individual-level variables, appear to have the greatest impact on journalists' degrees of idealism and relativistic thinking. Findings affirm hierarchy-of-influences theories regarding news work. They also raise questions about the nature of universal standards that would constitute a cross-cultural journalism ethics theory and underscore concerns about the viability of Enlightenment assumptions to serve as universal journalism ethical norms.
Political economy suggests that media owners try to influence the process of media production by providing career incentives to like-minded journalists and adjusting the level of professional autonomy granted to them. Accordingly, we analyze whether the political distance between editors and journalists (i.e., reporters) affects the careers of journalists in terms of rank and salary, as well as their perceived professional autonomy. We hypothesize that editors reward and allow freedom to journalists whose political viewpoints coincide more precisely with their own. Political proximity to editors should lead to a better salary and rank for reporters and to a stronger perception of editorial autonomy among reporters. We tested our hypotheses through statistical analysis using data from the Worlds of Journalism Study. We analyzed the answers of 3,087 journalists interviewed between 2012 and 2016 in six European countries: Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The results support our hypotheses. The analysis reveals a polarization of media outlet editors, and robust results were achieved via a measure of political proximity that takes into account the particular influence of left-leaning and right-leaning editors. Such partisan leaning, however, seems less relevant in countries belonging to Hallin and Mancini's Atlantic model.
Der Band liefert eine Zustandsbeschreibung des Journalismus in einer Zeit, in der Medieninstitutionen ökonomisch unter Druck stehen und journalistische Autoritäten zunehmend hinterfragt werden. Das Buch berichtet Ergebnisse einer Befragung von über 2500 Journalist*innen in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Im Zentrum stehen die soziodemografischen Profile der Journalist*innen, die Anstellungsverhältnisse und Tätigkeitsbereiche, ihre beruflichen Rollenverständnisse und ethischen Orientierungen, ihr Vertrauen in gesellschaftliche Institutionen sowie die Wahrnehmung von redaktioneller Autonomie und Einflüssen auf ihre Arbeit. (Verlagstext)
Exploring the worlds of journalism: an introduction / Thomas Hanitzsch, Folker Hanusch, Jyotika Ramaprasad, and Arnold S. de Beer -- Journalistic culture in a global context: a conceptual roadmap / Thomas Hanitzsch, Laura Ahva, Martin Oller Alonso, Jesus Arroyave, Liesbeth Hermans, Jan Fredrik Hovden, Sallie Hughes, Beate Josephi, Jyotika Ramaprasad, Ivor Shapiro and Tim Vos -- Surveying journalists around the world: a methodological framework / Corinna Lauerer and Thomas Hanitzsch -- Profiles of journalists: demographic and employment patterns / Beate Josephi, Folker Hanusch, Martin Oller Alonso, Ivor Shapiro, Kenneth Andresen, Arnold de Beer, Abit Hoxha, Sonia Virgínia Moreira, Kevin Rafter, Terje Skjerdal, Sergio Splendore, and Edson C. Tandoc, Jr -- Perceived influences: journalists' awareness of pressures on their work / Thomas Hanitzsch, Jyotika Ramaprasad, Jesus Arroyave, Rosa Berganza, Liesbeth Hermans, Jan Fredrik Hovden, Filip Lab, Corinna Lauerer, Alice Tejkalová, and Tim P. Vos -- Editorial autonomy: journalists' perceptions of their freedom / Basyouni Hamada, Sallie Hughes, Thomas Hanitzsch, James Hollings, Corinna Lauerer, Jesus Arroyave, Verica Rupar and Sergio Splendore -- Role orientations: journalists' views on their place in society / Thomas Hanitzsch, Tim Vos, Olivier Standaert, Folker Hanusch, Jan Fredrik Hovden, Liesbeth Hermans and Jyotika Ramaprasad -- Ethical considerations: journalists' perceptions of professional practice / Jyotika Ramaprasad, Thomas Hanitzsch, Epp Lauk, Halliki Harro-Loit, Jan Fredrik Hovden, Jari Väliverronen, and Stephanie Craft -- Trust: journalists' reflections on changes in news work / Arjen van Dalen, Rosa Berganza, Thomas Hanitzsch, Adriana Amado, Beatriz Herrero, Beate Josephi, Sonja Seizova, Morten Skovsgaard, and Nina Steindl -- Transformations: journalists' reflections on changes in news work / Folker Hanusch, Edson C. Tandoc Jr., Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou, Nurhaya Muchtar, Kevin Rafter, Mireya Márquez Ramírez, Verica Rupar, and Vittoria Sacco -- Modelling journalistic cultures: a global approach / Folker Hanusch and Thomas Hanitzsch
This article reports key findings from a comparative survey of the role perceptions, epistemological orientations and ethical views of 1800 journalists from 18 countries. The results show that detachment, non-involvement, providing political information and monitoring the government are considered essential journalistic functions around the globe. Impartiality, the reliability and factualness of information, as well as adherence to universal ethical principles are also valued worldwide, though their perceived importance varies across countries. ; Ciencias de la Comunicaci?n II
WOS: 000279139900001 ; Surveying 1,700 journalists from seventeen countries, this study investigates perceived influences on news work. Analysis reveals a dimensional structure of six distinct domains political, economic, organizational, professional, and procedural influences, as well as reference groups. Across countries, these six dimensions build up a hierarchical structure where organizational, professional, and procedural influences are perceived as more powerful limits to journalists' work than political and economic influences.
Surveying 1,700 journalists from seventeen countries, this study investigates perceived influences on news work. Analysis reveals a dimensional structure of six distinct domains-political, economic, organizational, professional, and procedural influences, as well as reference groups. Across countries, these six dimensions build up a hierarchical structure where organizational, professional, and procedural influences are perceived as more powerful limits to journalists' work than political and economic influences. ; Ciencias de la Comunicaci?n II
Surveying 1,700 journalists from seventeen countries, this study investigates perceived influences on news work. Analysis reveals a dimensional structure of six distinct domains—political, economic, organizational, professional, and procedural influences, as well as reference groups. Across countries, these six dimensions build up a hierarchical structure where organizational, professional, and procedural influences are perceived as more powerful limits to journalists' work than political and economic influences.
