Some reflections on journalism education and journalism culture

A consequence of globalization of media economy and technology for journalism lies in the unification of the production processes of media content. Differences between journalistic production routines and applied principles are diminishing towards more popularized, more commercialized production of content (Hallin & Mancini, 2004). Furthermore, journalists in many countries around the world work in basically similar professional environments; they use similar equipment and technology and share a common occupational ideology. Michael Schudson (2001:153) describes the occupational ideology of journalism as cultural knowledge that constitutes ‘news judgment’, rooted deeply in the communicators’ consciousness. This ‘cultural knowledge’ comprises certain characteristics and values, which journalists generally agree upon as a basis of journalistic practice, and function ‘to self-legitimize their position in society’ (Deuze, 2005: 446)

Can Media Enhance Deliberative Democracy? Exploring Media Monitoring Capabilities in 14 EU-Countries

The editorial introduces the topic of this thematic issue, which is the important role of society’s media monitoring capabilities, i.e., to produce information about what media “do” to society, and more precisely for democratic development both the here and the now and in the longer term. The theoretical and methodological aspects of the thematic issue are presented according to the approach of an EU-funded project Mediadelcom, which aims to explain interconnections between the news media transformations and the risks and opportunities for deliberative communication. One of the stages of the project investigates media monitoring capabilities in different countries. The eight articles introduced in the editorial contribute to deepening the perspectives on the capabilities of media monitoring in the 21st century, and to understanding their function in detecting potential risks and opportunities for democratic public deliberation

Mediji na manjinskim jezicima i novinari u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji

The article focuses on the role of Russian-speaking journalists and the potential of Russianlanguage media in advancing societal integration in Estonia. As a consequence of socialist colonization during the Soviet regime a quarter of Estonian population today is Russian-speaking. The two main language communities have different informational spaces separated by a language barrier. Integration can only be successful if there is unhampered communication between minority and majority groups, and equal opportunities for individuals and groups to participate in the public sphere. First, we discuss the concept of minority language media and the position of Russian-language media in the context of societal integration in Estonia. Using a quantitative survey we depict the current professional status of Estonian Russian-speaking journalists, and display their perceptions about their role in integration. We conclude that Russian-speaking journalists perceive themselves as mediators between Estonian and Russian communities, but are not positive about the possibilities of Russian-language media to fulfil their task as representatives of the minority.U fokusu ovog članka jesu uloga novinara koji govore ruski jezik i potencijal medija na ruskom jeziku u unaprjeđivanju društvene integracije u Estoniji. Posljedica socijalističke kolonizacije za vrijeme sovjetskog režima jest ta da četvrtina estonskog stanovništva danas govori ruskim jezikom. Te dvije glavne jezične zajednice (estonska i ruska) imaju različite informacijske prostore koje dijeli jezična barijera. Integracija može uspjeti samo ako postoji nesputana komunikacija između manjinskih i većinskih skupina te ako pojedinci i skupine imaju jednaku mogućnost sudjelovanja u javnoj sferi života. U članku se prvo bavimo konceptom medija na manjinskim jezicima te ulogom medija na ruskom jeziku u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji. Koristile smo metodu ankete kako bismo doznale kakav je trenutačni profesionalni status estonskih novinara koji govore ruski jezik te kako oni percipiraju svoju ulogu u procesu integracije. Zaključile smo da novinari koji govore ruskim jezikom sebe doživljavaju kao posrednike između estonske i ruske zajednice, ali i da nisu sigurni da mediji na ruskom jeziku mogu ispuniti zadaću da budu predstavnici manjine

Recreating Journalism after Censorship. Generational Shifts and Professional Ambiguities among Journalists after Changes in the Political Systems.

Recreating journalism after censorship. Generational shifts and professional ambiguities among journalists after changes in the political systemsThe system and practices of both German censorship in Norway in 1940–1945 and of Soviet censorship in Estonia in 1944–1990 were, because of their totalitarian nature, very similar. Some aspects of the reorganisation of the press in Norway and Estonia after the shift to freedom of expression are compared. In both countries freedom of the press released a high level of activity in publishing, attracting a lot of new and untrained journalists to the field. This created a generational shift, if not a cleavage, between old hands and neophytes. Since the younger generation was more numerous, the transition also implied tensions and ambiguities between different ideas of professional practices and values. When media began to consolidate in both countries, the job market became more competitive and journalists found themselves under commercial pressures and, somewhat paradoxically, in the same process became more professionalized. In Norway the old multi-party press re-emerged after a short while together with old routines from the mid-war period. In Estonia, the old Soviet press system was replaced with completely different one, based on private ownership and ruled by the free market.Recreating journalism after censorship. Generational shifts and professional ambiguities among journalists after changes in the political systemsThe system and practices of both German censorship in Norway in 1940–1945 and of Soviet censorship in Estonia in 1944–1990 were, because of their totalitarian nature, very similar. Some aspects of the reorganisation of the press in Norway and Estonia after the shift to freedom of expression are compared. In both countries freedom of the press released a high level of activity in publishing, attracting a lot of new and untrained journalists to the field. This created a generational shift, if not a cleavage, between old hands and neophytes. Since the younger generation was more numerous, the transition also implied tensions and ambiguities between different ideas of professional practices and values. When media began to consolidate in both countries, the job market became more competitive and journalists found themselves under commercial pressures and, somewhat paradoxically, in the same process became more professionalized. In Norway the old multi-party press re-emerged after a short while together with old routines from the mid-war period. In Estonia, the old Soviet press system was replaced with completely different one, based on private ownership and ruled by the free market

Mediji na manjinskim jezicima i novinari u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji

The article focuses on the role of Russian-speaking journalists and the potential of Russianlanguage media in advancing societal integration in Estonia. As a consequence of socialist colonization during the Soviet regime a quarter of Estonian population today is Russian-speaking. The two main language communities have different informational spaces separated by a language barrier. Integration can only be successful if there is unhampered communication between minority and majority groups, and equal opportunities for individuals and groups to participate in the public sphere. First, we discuss the concept of minority language media and the position of Russian-language media in the context of societal integration in Estonia. Using a quantitative survey we depict the current professional status of Estonian Russian-speaking journalists, and display their perceptions about their role in integration. We conclude that Russian-speaking journalists perceive themselves as mediators between Estonian and Russian communities, but are not positive about the possibilities of Russian-language media to fulfil their task as representatives of the minority.U fokusu ovog članka jesu uloga novinara koji govore ruski jezik i potencijal medija na ruskom jeziku u unaprjeđivanju društvene integracije u Estoniji. Posljedica socijalističke kolonizacije za vrijeme sovjetskog režima jest ta da četvrtina estonskog stanovništva danas govori ruskim jezikom. Te dvije glavne jezične zajednice (estonska i ruska) imaju različite informacijske prostore koje dijeli jezična barijera. Integracija može uspjeti samo ako postoji nesputana komunikacija između manjinskih i većinskih skupina te ako pojedinci i skupine imaju jednaku mogućnost sudjelovanja u javnoj sferi života. U članku se prvo bavimo konceptom medija na manjinskim jezicima te ulogom medija na ruskom jeziku u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji. Koristile smo metodu ankete kako bismo doznale kakav je trenutačni profesionalni status estonskih novinara koji govore ruski jezik te kako oni percipiraju svoju ulogu u procesu integracije. Zaključile smo da novinari koji govore ruskim jezikom sebe doživljavaju kao posrednike između estonske i ruske zajednice, ali i da nisu sigurni da mediji na ruskom jeziku mogu ispuniti zadaću da budu predstavnici manjine

Kool suhtluskeskkonnana: õpetajate suhtlemistavad

Tiigrihüppe Sihtasutuse uuringu “Õpetajate suhtlemistavad” lõpparuanne.Uuringu põhieesmärk on kaardistada õpetajate suhtlustavasid, nende suhtlusvõrgustikke ja suhtlemiseks kasutatavaid tehnoloogilisi võimalusi. Uuring keskendub kolmele aspektile: 1) õpetajate õppe- ja kasvatustöö alase suhtlemise ja teabehankimise eesmärgid (temaatika), suhtlemise vormid ja suhtlusvõrgustikud (õpilaste, kolleegide jt partneritega suhtlemisel, enesetäiendamisel, õppematerjalide loomisel ja õpilasteni viimisel jms, sealhulgas IKT roll nendes); 2) uue meedia asend ja võimalused muude suhtlemisviiside kontekstis ning roll olemasolevate suhtlemisvõrgustike toimimises; 3) kuidas näevad õpetajate erinevaid suhtlemisviise ja -formaate õpilased.http://www.innovatsioonikeskus.ee/sites/default/files/tekstifailid/opetajate_suhtlemistavade_uuring_2008.pd

Reminders of responsibility : Journalism ethics codes in Western Europe

Journalistic codes of ethics articulate conventions of professionalism as it is understood in Western democracies. Codes of ethics combine theoretical and applied ethics, defining the duties (e.g., service of the public, respect for human dignity, etc.) and offering practical instructions for information gathering, processing, and publishing. Codes of ethics do not solve ethical dilemmas but oblige journalists toward moral reasoning and give advice for making the right decisions. The codes of ethics created for traditional media have become insufficient in the current digital media era. The internet is global, as is the public, and increasingly, also the practice of journalism. The global information and communication conglomerates prioritize their commercial interests over the public interests. Journalists are working in the center of this conflict. To maintain and enhance ethical journalism, new types of accountability mechanisms and a media policy supportive of media accountability and criticism need to be created.peerReviewe

A View from the Inside : The Dawning Of De-Westernization of CEE Media and Communication Research?

The Editorial outlines some characteristics of the development of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) media and communication scholarship during the past 25 years. In the majority of CEE countries, the media and communication research was re-established after the collapse of communism. Since then, a critical mass of active scholars has appeared who form an integral part of the larger European academia. A gradual integration of East and West perspectives in media and communication research is taking place along with moving away from the barely West-centred approach, and utilizing the research done by CEE scholars. Certain ‘de-westernization’ and internationalization of the research in terms of theoretical and methodological frameworks is depicted.nonPeerReviewe