What does journalism mean?
Journalism is the work of gathering, verifying, writing, editing, and publishing information about events, people, and public affairs. It includes the work of reporters, editors, columnists, correspondents, and other media professionals, whether they work for newspapers, broadcasters, magazines, digital publications, or news agencies. The word is also used more broadly to describe the institutions and practices of the media, as in the phrase freedom of journalism. Journalism can involve breaking news, investigative reporting, feature writing, opinion, criticism, and analysis. Its central practices include seeking reliable information, checking sources, and presenting material to an audience. Although journalism may include commentary and persuasive writing, it is distinct from propaganda, which seeks primarily to advance a cause. The term is now strongly associated with the modern media industry, but its history reaches back to handwritten journals and the early periodical press.
nounThe activity of collecting, writing, editing, and publishing news and other information about current events, especially in newspapers, magazines, television, radio, or online media. It also refers to the profession and practice of journalists.
- The activity and profession of collecting, writing, editing, and publishing news and information about current events.
"She pursued a career in journalism, reporting on politics and social issues for an international news organization."
"The documentary examines the role of independent journalism in a rapidly changing media landscape."
"He studied journalism before beginning to write about technology and public policy."
Journalism gave the world a daily habit of shared attention: a way for distant events to become common knowledge.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does journalism come from?
Journalism developed from journal, which comes through French from the Latin diurnalis, meaning daily or relating to a day. A journal was originally a record or diary kept by day, and the word gradually came to mean a periodical publication containing news. Journalism emerged in the 18th century as newspapers and periodicals became established, while journalist had already been used for a person who wrote for a journal. The modern form of journalism became established in the 19th century alongside the expansion of the periodical press.
Related word forms
How journalism is actually used
Journalism is normally uncountable and is neutral in tone, though it can sometimes be used broadly to refer to the work of journalists or to a particular style of reporting. In educational and professional contexts, it commonly occurs with words such as career, school, degree, and student.
Easily confused with journalism
Journalism is the practice of gathering, producing, and distributing news and information, while propaganda is the deliberate use of information to promote a particular viewpoint or cause.
Reporting describes the immediate act of covering events or gathering information, whereas journalism also encompasses writing, editing, publishing, and the wider professional practice of the media.