Journalism theory
The theoretical description of the phenomenon began with the professionalization of journalism in the 19th century . As early as 1910, Max Weber's preliminary report appeared on a proposed survey on the sociology of the newspaper industry , which represents a theory- and empirical-based inventory of the German press and illuminates the production and working conditions. Many theoretical approaches follow, the statements are based on observations, whereby individual, cultural and socio-structural differences must be taken into account. The journalism per se does not exist, but descriptions are guided by theories and attempts to systematize the approaches.
Journalism concepts
In journalism and communication science, very different theoretical approaches are discussed. In a synopsis of current approaches in German-speaking countries, Martin Löffelholz differentiates between eight journalism concepts.
Normative individualism
When normative individualism , the focus is on the talent and attitude of journalists. The complexity and the yield are very low. It is personal, which has been shaped by historical events, for example by an individualistic worldview towards the end of the 18th century, which is the basis for utilitarianism , where usefulness means the basis of moral behavior ( gifted ideology ). Journalists were regarded as spiritual leaders , especially during the Nazi era : subjectivity and normativity made newspaper science an academic authority for justification . After the Second World War, certain premises were retained, for example from Dovifat , who approved of centrally controlled propaganda . The journalism was the basis for the personal journalism term, a very old understanding that dates back far behind Max Weber. Dovifat's influence on the ideology of talent and the formation of scientific theories can still be seen today. Further representatives are Karl Bücher , Hermann Boventer , Walter Hagemann and Otto Groth .
The materialistic media theory
The focus of materialistic media theory is on classes and capital utilization . Complexity is low, the yield is very low. She comes from Leipzig and was taught in the GDR at the journalism section as a branch of the Marxist-Leninist social sciences (after Karl Marx , Lenin and Friedrich Engels ). Journalism is seen as a distinctly class-based institution of the political superstructure of society . From this the genre theory of the proletarian press and the journalistic methodology were developed. In terms of professional policy, these were successful in the GDR, but not in the West. Representatives saw journalism as a production process of media statements (class-dependent, capital utilization: media as a company , news as goods , productive force ). This economization or references to commercialization are the standard of empirical journalism analyzes, but have greatly reduced their complexity and relevance . Further representatives are Emil Dusiska , Horst Holzer and Wulf D. Hund .
Analytical empiricism
In analytical empiricism , the focus is on news selection , agenda setting and actors . The complexity is medium, the yield is high. This approach is a central paradigm in the current discussion. Success is based on the development and testing of medium-range theories, for example agenda or gatekeeper research. The theory aims to link various variables that are sufficiently defined and linked to observations. The rules of observation are to be described. Which are important objective verifiability and the logical work. The problem area should be illuminated by empirical evidence. White's gatekeeper model is being carried over to journalism, journalists' decision-making processes were observed. This paved the way for the change in journalism from a presumptive to an explanatory science . Representatives are Winfried Schulz , David Weaver , Maxwell E. McCombs and Klaus Schönbach .
Legitimistic empiricism
The focus is the legitimist empiricism on the behavior, the reference to reality and the actors. The complexity is medium, the yield medium. Science was committed to recipients and statements. Wolfgang Donsbach said that the influence of the mass media can only be explained well if the research on effects also turns to the communicators . The main question is whether journalists can adequately use their power . Viewed in this way, journalism research appears to be part of media impact research . Communication- political norms are compared with empirical-analytical results. Questions are asked about self-image and motivation . Statements about colleagues are also important because they have consequences for the product and the audience. Critics criticize an overly strong individual orientation. Structural issues such as time and sources are neglected, journalism equated with media. It is assumed that the attitudes of journalists are relevant for action. Surveys would infer suspected content and attitudes. Further representatives are Hans Mathias Kepplinger and Renate Köcher .
Critical theories of action
The critical action theories focus on journalism as communicative and social action with rules of action. The complexity is high, the yield low. The core object of the action theories based on Max Weber are the actors, their actions and their meaning. Social action is shaped by rules. The aim is a typology of journalistic patterns, forms and rules of action. There are only a few theoretically elaborate approaches, Baum and Gottschlich based themselves on Jürgen Habermas ' critical-theoretical approach. Baum wants to show that mass communication through social action is embedded in everyday contexts. Journalists therefore act in an understanding-oriented manner. Gottschlich deals with the role of the journalist's legitimacy in social discourse . It describes the loss of orientation that results from the discrepancy between the subjective job description and the actual one. Bucher thematizes connections between journalistic actions ( action networks ) as complex social events. Bucher's approach is based on the dynamics of communication, not on the intentions of those involved and, according to Bucher, is complementary to systems theory.
The functionalist system theories
The functionalist system theories focus on journalism as a social system in world society. The complexity is very high, the yield medium. It began in 1969 with Manfred Rühl's study Die Zeitungsredaktion as an organized social system . Editorial action is embedded in a rationalized and differentiated organization. Rühl finds the person as a paradigm too inelastic. The alternative would be an orderly social system . Here a distinction can be made between journalism and its environments . That means a separation of journalists as persons and journalism as a social system. The way journalism is embedded always depends on the socio-historical . The concept of system is not uniform. The question arises as to how open ( Siegfried Weischenberg ) or closed (Manfred Rühl) such a system is. There are divergent views on this.
Critics complain that Luhmann's system theory underestimates the relevance of journalists as actors. The microstructural actor perspective is shown in abbreviated form in systems theory. In addition, the apparent dichotomy of system and subject neglects the close relationships between acting individuals and the functionally differentiated society. In addition, entanglements, for example between economic and journalistic procedures, are hidden.
Autopoiesis is the process of self-renewal or self-creation of a system. Other representatives are Bernd Blöbaum , Alexander Görke and Matthias Kohring .
The integrative social theories
The integrative social theories focus on journalistic cognitions (actors) and communication (system) in a system context. The complexity is high, the yield low. There is no really elaborate theory. Christoph Neuberger transfers actor, institution and system theory to journalism research . The editorial team is an institution with active actors. Both can be analyzed. Critics criticize theoretical breaks when a connection to the constructivist system theory is sought, for example, influence theoretical premises versus operational cohesion of social systems. There is no relationship between journalism and its environment. An integrative journalism theory must first emerge.
Cultural studies
In cultural studies , the focus is on journalism as part of popular culture for the production of meaning. The complexity is medium, the yield is very low. Cultural studies are not a discipline in their own right . Important is the contextual study of changes in the relationship between culture, media and power. The concept is open with many roots. Culture is not defined. The main focus is on the reception of ( TV ) entertainment programs. There have been attempts to transfer core ideas to journalism (John Hartley, Stuart Allan , Rudi Renger ). In this school of thought, journalism is considered a cultural discourse and part of popular culture. Key words are the production of meanings, journalism as an everyday resource that serves pleasures , media as structures of meaning, as literary or visual constructs that are shaped by rules and traditions . The concept of culture is gradually becoming more relevant. In the globalized world, that which divides: cultural differences.
The distinction between spoon wood presented here is not the only differentiation possible. However, it has a clear systematic advantage over competing points of view. This system in turn means that a variety of unclassifiable approaches and perspectives are not mentioned, some of which are discussed in Löffelholz's own standard work “Theories of Journalism” (2000, 2004). In the “Handbuch Journalismustheorien” published in 2016 by Löffelholz and Rothenberger, however, further theories were included, including: a. critical, participatory and culture-oriented approaches as well as medium-range theories. The system can only claim to be valid for the German-speaking area, which Löffelholz and Quandt themselves explicitly make elsewhere. For example, the system theory according to Luhmann, which is widespread in Germany, is largely unknown in US journalism research. However, in the introduction to their handbook, Löffelholz and Rothenberger point out that this work is the world's most comprehensive overview of theories of journalism.
See also
literature
- Martin spoon wood (ed.): Theories of journalism . 2nd supplemented edition. Westdeutscher, Wiesbaden 2004 (first edition: 2000).
- Martin Löffelholz: Journalism Concepts. A synoptic inventory . In: Irene Neverla , Elke Grittmann , Monika Pater (eds.): Basic texts on journalism . Universitätsverlag (UVK), Konstanz 2002, p. 35-51 .
- Martin Löffelholz & Thorsten Quandt , 2005: New journalism, old theories? Current developments in journalism theory: The German speaking countries , in Ecquid Novi. The South African Journal for Journalism Research, 26 (2), 228-246
- Martin Löffelholz & David Weaver (eds.), 2008: Global Journalism Research. Theories, Methods, Findings, Future . Blackwell Publishing, Malden, Oxford, Carlton, ISBN 978-1-4051-5331-7 .
- Martin Löffelholz & Liane Rothenberger (eds.), 2016: Handbuch Journalismustheorien . Wiesbaden: Springer VS, ISBN 978-3-531-18157-8 .
- Max Weber, The press as a field of research. Preliminary report on a proposed survey on the sociology of the newspaper industry in: Pöttker, Horst (editor), 2001: The public as a social mandate. Classics of social science on journalism and media , Universitätsverlag (UVK) Konstanz, 498 pages, ISBN 3-87940-632-4 , pages 313 to 325
Individual evidence
- ↑ Martin Löffelholz & Liane Rothenberger (eds.): Handbuch Journalismustheorien. Springer VS, Wiesbaden 2016