Emotionality and News

Abstract

This entry discusses the role of emotionality in journalism, demonstrating that even if journalism has always been emotional, research on the topic has been slower to arrive. This is due to a historical suspicion of emotionality, tied to ideals of liberal democratic theory and the allegiance to journalistic objectivity. The entry provides an overview of scholarship on the varied roles of emotion in journalistic practices, texts, and audience. As such work has matured and taken into consideration developments such as the rise of social media and the emergence of citizen journalism, we now have a more nuanced understanding of emotion as a tool and a force in journalism.