Assignment 2 - Is it possible to define journalism

Introduction This task asks you to write a 2000-word research essay in which you present, in formal academic style, an argument responding either to a set question or to a question of your own devising. Purpose The assignment allows you to develop research and analytical skills necessary for postgraduate study and considered highly-desirable by most employers. It builds on the lectures and tutorial discussions from the first half of the semester. It should familiarise you with relevant research on journalism history, make you aware of the different forces shaping journalism, and assist you in developing your own critical judgements about how journalism has changed and developed.

For Assignment 2:

1. Is it possible to define journalism? Is it desirable to do so? Illustrate your answer with references to the historical and theoretical literature.
2. What historical precursors were most important in the development of journalism? Illustrate your answer by showing the cultural, political, economic or technological aspects that made them so significant.
3. The establishment of modern journalism was not a smooth process. What were the most important obstacles needed to be overcome to make what we now call ‘journalism’ possible?
4. Why was professionalisation such an important goal for journalists in the past? Will it be as significant in the future? Why or why not?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages for journalists of pursuing professionalism? How have these changed over time?
6. Under what conditions does citizen journalism flourish? Illustrate your answer with historical and theoretical references.
7. Do the ideals associated with citizen journalism provide a viable alternative to norms of professionalisation? Why or why not?
8. What impact has citizen journalism had on ideas of journalistic professionalisation and how will it shape the concept into the future? Illustrate your answer with reference to the academic literature on professionalisation.
9. Has citizen journalism created new power relations in the era of global media. If so, how?
10. Is Habermas’ concept of the public sphere useful for explaining journalism’s role in the modern world. Use historical examples to illustrate your answer.
11. How has the relationship between journalism and democracy changed over the last century?
12. What theory best explains journalism’s function in a modern, democratic society? Defend your answer against alternative theoretical conceptions.
13. What does the operation of the media in authoritarian nations reveal about journalism?
14. Should objectivity be an aim for journalists today? If so, how should it be defined? If not, what concept should replace it? Illustrate your answer with examples from the history of the debate.
15. What historical factors drove the development of the objectivity paradigm? How has that paradigm changed over time and why?
16. Anti-racist activists have blamed a commitment to ‘objectivity’ for journalism’s historical blind-spots. Are they right and if so what follows? Use examples from scholarly literature to make your case.
17. What are the biggest obstacles to diversifying journalism today? What does the past show us about how they might be overcome? Use historical examples to support your argument.
18. How have those excluded from journalism responded to their marginalisation? Using examples from the scholarly literature as evidence, make an argument about the relative importance of representation, inclusion and other demands.
19. What challenges do women face in terms of achieving equal participation in journalism and how might those challenges be overcome?