Culture Matters: Influences on Interventionist Role Orientations of Journalists in 21 Countries

• In Event: Journalists' Role Conceptions and Journalistic Cultures

Abstract

This study seeks to contribute to the systematic explanation of journalists’ professional role orientations. Focusing on three aspects of journalistic interventionism – the importance of setting the political agenda, influencing public opinion and advocating for social change – multilevel analyses found substantive variation in interventionism at the individual level of the journalist, the level of media organizations, and the societal level. Based on interviews with 2100 journalists from 21 countries, findings affirm theories regarding a hierarchy of influences in news work. We found journalists to be more willing to intervene in society when they work in public media organizations and in countries with restricted political freedom. An important conclusion of our analysis is that journalists’ professional role orientations are also deeply rooted within perceptions of cultural and social values. Journalists were more likely to embrace an interventionist role when they were more strongly motivated by the value types of power, achievement and tradition.

Authors

• Thomas Hanitzsch, LMU Munich

• Folker Christian Hanusch, Queensland U of Technology

• Corinna Maria Lauerer, Ludwig-Maximilians-U Munich