Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: As the Internet has emerged as a powerful medium, a heated controversy has developed over whether bloggers can be regarded as journalists and protected by shield laws as much as traditional journalists. In light of the Josh Wolf case that raised questions about how to define who is or is not a journalist, and is entitled to be covered under the shield law, the blogger issue is important to the extent that delineating the limitations of privileged journalists allows us to analyze how the journalist’s privileges have been justified and which relevant principle of the First Amendment has been applied in order to deal with these privileges. Ultimately, this issue would enable us to examine the implication of the journalist’s privilege in order to develop and enrich the freedom of speech and press. In attempting to glean the privileges and limitations of “journalists” as applied to bloggers, therefore, it is necessary to examine the legal background of federal court cases, ranging from the Branzburg case to the Wolf case and look at the definitions of “covered person” under federal and state shield laws on the assumption that a journalist's privilege applies. In conclusion, although federal courts’ decisions and state shield laws left ambiguities in the definition of “journalists,” the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007 has a profound significance in establishing a federal definition of journalists’ privilege and to resolve the jurisdictional patchwork.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper reports how journalists integrate online research procedures into their overall research process and how they assess the Internet and search engines. The most extensive oberservation of journalists worldwide (n = 235) and a written survey of 601 journalists from newspapers, radio, television and online media provide the data base. The observation revealed that research actions account for half of the working time. Cross-checking research hardly takes place at all. Journalists use computer-aided research tools more frequently but not for as long as classic, non-computer-aided research tools. Search engines, in particular Google, dominate the source determination process and thereby have a decisive influence on the entire course of journalists’ research. The survey showed that a high level of journalistic attention focused on only a few Internet offerings. The surveyed journalists exhibit a pragmatic attitude towards the Internet and search engines as a research tool, even though they are aware of possible problems. Overall, the study shows that computer-aided research supplements but does not replace classic research. Instead, the Internet gains in significance for those tasks which it helps to fulfill more efficiently and opens up new possibilities. However, the increased self-referentiality in journalism and the “Google-ization” of research represent a cause for concern.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: By analyzing data from surveys of journalists and journalism students in China, this paper shows that China’s media reforms coupled with media globalization have made possible for the paradigm of professional journalism to emerge as a direct competitor to the Party-journalism paradigm. While the former gets manifested in journalists’ positive appraisal of the elite western media outlets, the latter is related to praising the official Party organs. Further, the paradigm of professional journalism is related to an emphasis on the disseminator role of the media and the desire for more liberal arts training in journalism, the Party-journalism paradigm is related to an emphasis on the interpretive and popular advocacy roles as well as the desire for more training in Party propaganda and the official journalistic theories. The distinction between the two paradigms has significant implications to how China’s journalists evaluate different innovative media outlets that have emerged during the reforms. In addition, more positive appraisals of exemplars of the professional journalism are related to higher levels of education, more frequent exposure to foreign media, fewer years working under the Party-media system, and holding no administrative positions in media organizations. Theoretical significance of these findings in relation to the concepts such as journalistic paradigm, journalist professionalism, and globalization is discussed.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: A national survey (N=774) of health journalists reveals that newspaper health journalists ascribe more importance to their professional roles than do health journalists working for other news delivery channels or newspaper journalists. Overall, health journalists earnestly strive to an educator role. This is critical considering the high stakes for translating scientific/medical details to help people lead more healthful lives. Personal characteristics, motivations, and workplace attributes are also examined as they relate to role conceptions.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Journalists and public relations practitioners in government and business need each other and this suggests a symbiotic relationship of mutual dependence. The relationship between the two communication professions, however, is under pressure. Two factors seem to be important here: the increasing professionalism of the management of the news on the side of the communicators, and the explosive growth in media supply that resulted in an increased competition between journalists and an intense contest for the news.
Our research studies how journalists and PR officials perceive their mutual relationship, how they evaluate the goals and methods of both professions, and how they evaluate the quality of the reporting in the media.
To answer these questions, we surveyed a representative sample of (Dutch) journalists and PR officials in government and business (N=791).
Our research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between the professions that are responsible for our daily news, and of the possible positive and negative effects thereof.