Citizen’s agenda makes press go local? Civic journalism and deliberation in the Portuguese local press Cover Image
  • Price 4.50 €

Občianska problematika robí tlač regionálnou? Občianska žurnalistika a uvažovanie nad portugalskou lokálnou tlačou
Citizen’s agenda makes press go local? Civic journalism and deliberation in the Portuguese local press

Author(s): Gil Baptista Ferreira
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Združenie MASS MEDIA SCIENCE
Keywords: Local press; deliberative democracy; public journalism; journalism practices; agenda setting

Summary/Abstract: What is the perception that journalists have about the citizens role in democratic life? What is the role that journalists gave to the public in the construction of the news agenda? The main goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between the local press, citizens and civic practices. It takes as starting point a dual theoretical approach, the theory of deliberative democracy and the movement of public journalism, to assess the scope of a conception of „deliberative journalism.“ Under the project „Citizens‘ Agenda: journalism and political participation in the Portuguese media“, some questionnaires were delivered to 45 journalists from the main regional newspapers in Portugal. Focusing in the importance of the citizen’s agenda for the journalists decision process, the results show that although the journalists appreciate the principles underlying the public and deliberative journalism movements (which suggests that a deliberative consciousness is emerging), they also express the permanency of an conventional journalism approach.

  • Issue Year: 56/2013
  • Issue No: 3-4
  • Page Range: 34-45
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English