Becoming Journalists

Abstract

This study discusses data from the most extensive survey of journalism students conducted in Britain, and similar data from Spanish journalism students, collected as they commence their studies in journalism. It shows that significant differences exist between these countries in students' motivations to be journalists, including `public service' motives, and in their views on the social roles of news media. Yet, British and Spanish students exhibit similar views on journalism ethics. To consider effects of `professionalization', students' responses are compared with those of experienced journalists previously surveyed in both countries. The findings suggest that distinct, national journalistic `cultures' have influenced students before they arrive at university.

Fantasy, Pragmatism and Journalistic Socialisation: UK Journalism Students’ Aspirations and Motivations

“…It captures some normative roles of the press, such as fighting injustice and holding power to account. Dynamic job (component two) again corresponds with previous research (Sanders et al, 2008) and is characterised by the social benefits of journalism as well as the varied and dynamic work environment. We term component three fame and fortune, which is an employment-driven motivation towards the financial rewards and social prestige that journalism potentially holds.…”

Pre-professional journalistic cultures of Cuba, Ecuador and Venezuela: Perceptions of students about ethics and journalism practices

“…Moreover, it is part of the professionalization process of journalism that has been taking place at a global level, through which, according to Splichal and Sparks (1994), the shared universal ethical and occupational standards among journalism students as future journalists are being trained. Some results corroborated in later studies carried out among British and Spanish students (Sanders et al, 2008) and Chinese and American students (Yang & Arant, 2014) give two significant examples in which the students reveal similar attitudes to the functions of journalism and the ethical standards to follow during professional practice, despite being educated in very different environments and political, economic, educational, social systems.…”

“…Hence, the intent of the comparative study presented in this article is to show in a more precise and contextualized way the standpoints that students of Social Communication and Journalism have in Cuba, Ecuador and Venezuela. This proposal maintains the line of international comparative projects initiated in mid-2000s (Sanders et al, 2008;Mellado et al, 2013;Carpenter, Hoag, Grant & Bowe, 2016;Arcila et al, 2017, among others). This investigative attempt seems pertinent in Latin America because institutions such as LAJP and CELAP have been trying since the early nineties (1993) to produce the first regional code of ethics for Central America (Journalism Training and Institution Building in Central American Countries, 2003) with very limited success.…”

“…Although Pleasance (2007) and Alysen and Oakham (1996) found that journalistic values and ethical issues of Journalism students change over time years of study, and Sanders et al (2008) and Alisen (1998) showed that students are more relaxed about them in the final years of university education. On the other hand, Hanusch (2013) emphasizes that, in terms of ethical dilemmas, the evidence of these differences during the formal training process is not so clear.…”

Public interest or self-interest? How journalism attracts future journalists

“…Some -but not much -is also known about how such transformations affect those who are training to become journalists in academia. Some studies have focused on how students from different countries perceive journalism and its professional values (Hovden 2014;Mellado et al 2013;Sanders et al 2008;Splichal and Sparks 1994). Other scholars have tried to pinpoint how the professional values of journalism students tend to change from their first year as students to their first year as media employees (Bjørnsen, Hovden, and Ottosen 2007).…”