The Crisis of Journalism Reconsidered

Democratic Culture, Professional Codes, Digital Future

Jeffrey C Alexander editor Elizabeth Butler Breese editor Maria Luengo editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:20th Jun '16

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The Crisis of Journalism Reconsidered cover

This collection of original essays interrogates the 'crisis of journalism' narrative from a dramatically different perspective.

This book addresses communication and social science scholars and students, media critics, and journalism practitioners. Bringing together original, high-quality investigations, it provides a bold new approach to the much debated crisis of contemporary journalism, demonstrating how, and why, journalism will survive.This collection of original essays brings a dramatically different perspective to bear on the contemporary 'crisis of journalism'. Rather than seeing technological and economic change as the primary causes of current anxieties, The Crisis of Journalism Reconsidered draws attention to the role played by the cultural commitments of journalism itself. Linking these professional ethics to the democratic aspirations of the broader societies in which journalists ply their craft, it examines how the new technologies are being shaped to sustain value commitments rather than undermining them. Recent technological change and the economic upheaval it has produced are coded by social meanings. It is this cultural framework that actually transforms these 'objective' changes into a crisis. The book argues that cultural codes not only trigger sharp anxiety about technological and economic changes, but provide pathways to control them, so that the democratic practices of independent journalism can be sustained in new forms.

'This book offers an extraordinarily useful and significant contribution to scholarly debate about the future of journalism by reflecting on the too often missed cultural component in explanations of the current crisis facing news, democracy and journalism in an age of digital media. Reflective and enviably well written, it is essential reading for everyone interested in the ways in which the digital future is unravelling.' Bob Franklin, University of Cardiff
'The never-ending technological and economic journalism crises are addressed in this edited book in a profound, multidimensional and critical manner. It is a fundamental piece to comprehend present-day social and cultural deadlocks and to shed light on the imaginable futures of democratic practices.' Helena Sousa, University of Minho
'Consistently provocative and original, The Crisis of Journalism Reconsidered is a must-read for anyone interested in media and democracy.' Ronald Jacobs, State University of New York, Albany, and author of The Space of Opinion: Media Intellectuals and the Public Sphere
'This collection proves that a discussion about journalism's democratic function and performance is not something that should be left merely to practitioners, technology experts or academic mini-publics. Its advantage is that it opens a new space for discussion, and it is a new start that allows for a change of perspective.' Andreas Hess, The Irish Times
'The Crisis of Journalism Reconsidered is a thoughtful volume arriving at an opportune time to address important developments in journalism studies and in its object of concern … It is exceedingly well-written and organized. Its theoretical richness and distinctive take on the landscapes of both journalism and journalism studies position it as a novel contribution that will fuel much reflection on the issues it raises. It reminds us, ultimately, that journalism is anchored by its normativity. In an age when hope for journalism seems to be in short supply, this book comes at the right time.' Ryan J. Thomas, Journalism
'… hats off to the editors and the contributors for this fine attempt at contextualizing the shrinking, information-rich world. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.' CHOICE

ISBN: 9781107085251

Dimensions: 235mm x 160mm x 23mm

Weight: 560g

328 pages