Eclectic continuum, distinct discipline or sub-domain of communication studies?

Abstract

Is journalism studies a sub-domain of communication studies, adistinct discipline, a multidisciplinary merger or a transdisciplinary endeavour? This question is discussed by analyzing the 2008 and2009 volumes of seven academic journals focusing on journalismresearch. The sample includes 349 articles published in BrazilianJournalism Research, Ecquid Novi, Journalism & CommunicationMonographs, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, PacificJournalism Review, Journalism Studies, or Journalism: Theory,Practice and Criticism. Overall, the findings reveal that journalismresearch mainly applies theoretical approaches and empiricalmethods deriving from other disciplines, particularly sociology, psychology or cultural studies. In many countries, however, journalism studies has reached a comparatively high level of institutionalization indicated by the large number of specific schools, professorships, professional associations and respective academic journals. In conclusion, we argue that journalism studies is a sub-domain of communication studies, which integrates andtranscends various disciplines aiming to become one of the axialsubjects of the 21st century.

Charting the development of a field: A systematic review of comparative studies of journalism

“…The second-most popular organization was the Guardian (14.7%), followed by the Washington Post (11.3%) and Le Monde (9.3%). The fifth-most studied medium is The Times (8.4%), followed by the British Broadcasting Corporation, which was featured in 8.2% of all articles, demonstrating the dominance of studies based on print media also found in journalism studies more broadly (Löffelholz and Rothenberger, 2011). Our results thus demonstrate a preoccupation in the field with elite media, suggesting that comparative journalism studies tends to focus mostly on what is considered quality, agenda-setting journalism.…”

“…(2001), we coded for whether studies compared countries at the same time, at different times, or if countries were compared at the same two or more points in time. Adapting Löffelholz and Rothenberger’s (2011) approach, we identified whether studies focused on the level of actors (e.g., journalists), organizations, policies, or the media system level, or a combination of any of these. For organizations, we noted the names of each organization being studied.…”

“…While journalism scholarship is continuously reviewed analytically by scholars who reflect on the state of the field, comprehensive studies of research on journalism more generally are relatively rare. Two recent analyses argue that the field has reached a certain level of institutionalization (Löffelholz and Rothenberger, 2011) and is “maturing and gaining increased autonomy as an academic discipline” (Steensen and Ahva, 2015: 13). Theoretical discourse in the field is described as “rich, heterogeneous, and full of competing ideas,” but at the same time rarely containing any distinctive ideologies, evidence that “journalism studies loosely combines manifold approaches created by various disciplines without discussing in detail their interconnections or integration potentials” (Löffelholz and Rothenberger, 2011: 75–76).…”

“…Two recent analyses argue that the field has reached a certain level of institutionalization (Löffelholz and Rothenberger, 2011) and is “maturing and gaining increased autonomy as an academic discipline” (Steensen and Ahva, 2015: 13). Theoretical discourse in the field is described as “rich, heterogeneous, and full of competing ideas,” but at the same time rarely containing any distinctive ideologies, evidence that “journalism studies loosely combines manifold approaches created by various disciplines without discussing in detail their interconnections or integration potentials” (Löffelholz and Rothenberger, 2011: 75–76). Further, there appears to be a dominance of studies from North American and European countries, and most studies focus on newspapers, with content analysis by far the most popular method of analysis (2011).…”

“…While these studies did not examine comparative research about journalism in detail, they provide somewhat of a baseline for this study. For example, Löffelholz and Rothenberger (2011) found that around one-tenth of the articles they analyzed were comparative, mainly empirical studies. A similar proportion of comparative studies emerged from a comprehensive analysis of Latin American studies of journalism and mass communication (Mellado, 2012).…”