Newspaper Journalism

Book excerpt: Are newspapers faced with an existential threat or are they changing to meet the challenges of a digital world? With the newspaper′s role in a state of fundamental redefinition, Newspaper Journalism offers a timely and up to the minute analysis of newspapers today, in the context of their historical importance to society. Drawing on their extensive experience in academia and also across local, national, mainstream and alternative newspapers, Cole and Harcup write clearly and engagingly from both industry and scholarly perspectives, and contend that, far from dying, newspapers are doing what they have always done: adapting to a changing environment. This text is essential reading for all students of the press, with comprehensive and critical coverage of the most important debates in the study of newspaper journalism - from ethics and investigative journalism to political economy and the future of the industry. Given the shifting boundaries and central importance of newspapers, it will be of interest to all students of journalism and the media. Praise for the Journalism Studies: Key Texts series: ′It is easy to describe a good textbook for a specific journalistic format... The ideal book has to satisfy a list of requirements that are also bullet-pointed in journalism assignment outlines. A text has to: synthesize the existing body of knowledge; explain concepts clearly; have a logical order of topics; and provide enough information and directions to pursue further study. One may also hope it would include real life examples and be lucid, vivid and a pleasure to read. Hard to find? Not anymore. The new SAGE series Journalism Studies: Key Texts satisfies the main requirements on the list. Carefully planned and meticulously edited by Martin Conboy, David Finkelstein and Bob Franklin, the textbook series is a welcome contribution to the literature of journalism studies... All three books follow the same structural template: an overview of historical development; explication of the political and economic frameworks within particular types of journalism; a review of contemporary practices; social demographics; a comparative analysis of practices around the world; a summary of main conceptual approaches; an indication of future directions; recommendations for further reading. This strong organization resembles a template for a course outline. This is intentional because the series is aimed both at students and their practice-based lecturers, who often come straight from industry and need time to adjust to the academic environment... [The series] achieves its aim to bridge the sometimes too evident dissonance between journalism theory and practice... They successfully situate discussions about journalism in social and historical contexts. We see the faces of individual journalists, the circumstances of news production, the relationship with owners, the battle between the public service and the profit nature of news, the relevance of journalism work. The detailed account of the conditions under which newspaper, radio and alternative journalism is produced and performed make the Journalism Studies: Key Texts series mandatory reading for both journalism students and their lecturers′ - Verica Rupar, Journalism Studies