Home 9. Journalism as Memory
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

9. Journalism as Memory

  • Carolyn Kitch
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
How to publish with us
Journalism
This chapter is in the book Journalism

Abstract

This chapter considers journalism as an agent and a product of public memory - a social understanding of history that is communicated among members of a community united by identity or experience. After surveying the theoretical and disciplinary emergence of academic research on news and memory, it offers a series of definitions of journalism that illuminate the symbiotic relationship between journalism and memory. This discussion explores how historical consciousness and references to the past serve the needs of journalism, and in turn how journalism serves broader societal needs for shared memory, identity, and history. The essay closes with a consideration of how these definitions may be impacted by new technologies and with a call for greater convergence of memory theory and journalism theory.

Abstract

This chapter considers journalism as an agent and a product of public memory - a social understanding of history that is communicated among members of a community united by identity or experience. After surveying the theoretical and disciplinary emergence of academic research on news and memory, it offers a series of definitions of journalism that illuminate the symbiotic relationship between journalism and memory. This discussion explores how historical consciousness and references to the past serve the needs of journalism, and in turn how journalism serves broader societal needs for shared memory, identity, and history. The essay closes with a consideration of how these definitions may be impacted by new technologies and with a call for greater convergence of memory theory and journalism theory.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Contents xi
  5. 1. Journalism 1
  6. 2. Journalism history 19
  7. I Foundations of the Field
  8. 3. Roles of Journalists 43
  9. 4. Epistemologies of Journalism 63
  10. 5. Journalism Ethics 83
  11. II. Conceptualizing the Field
  12. 6. Journalism as Practice 105
  13. 7. Journalism as Institution 125
  14. 8. Journalism as Public Sphere 149
  15. 9. Journalism as Memory 169
  16. III. Theorizing the Field
  17. 10. Journalism as Agenda Setting 189
  18. 11. Journalism as Framing 205
  19. 12. Journalism as Gatekeeping 235
  20. IV. Journalism via the Disciplines
  21. 13. The Sociology of Journalism 257
  22. 14. The Economics of Journalism and News Provision 281
  23. 15 Politics and Policies of Journalism and Free Press 297
  24. 16. The Technology of Journalism 321
  25. 17. Journalism and Geography 335
  26. V. The Journalism Ecology
  27. 18. Entrepreneurial Journalism 355
  28. 19. Mapping the Citizen News Landscape: Blurring Boundaries, Promises, Perils, and Beyond 373
  29. 20. Advocacy Journalism 391
  30. 21. Documentary Journalism 415
  31. 22. Lifestyle Journalism 433
  32. VI. The Issues of Journalism
  33. 23. Journalism, War, and Peace 453
  34. 24. Journalism, Censorship, and Press Freedom 473
  35. 25. Journalism, Pluralism, and Diversity 493
  36. 26. Journalism, Gender, and Race 511
  37. 27. Journalism, Audiences and Community Engagement 531
  38. VII. Conclusion
  39. 28. Journalism and Change 555
  40. 29. The Future of Journalism Scholarship 575
  41. Biographical sketches 587
  42. Index 591
https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501500084-009

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Contents xi
  5. 1. Journalism 1
  6. 2. Journalism history 19
  7. I Foundations of the Field
  8. 3. Roles of Journalists 43
  9. 4. Epistemologies of Journalism 63
  10. 5. Journalism Ethics 83
  11. II. Conceptualizing the Field
  12. 6. Journalism as Practice 105
  13. 7. Journalism as Institution 125
  14. 8. Journalism as Public Sphere 149
  15. 9. Journalism as Memory 169
  16. III. Theorizing the Field
  17. 10. Journalism as Agenda Setting 189
  18. 11. Journalism as Framing 205
  19. 12. Journalism as Gatekeeping 235
  20. IV. Journalism via the Disciplines
  21. 13. The Sociology of Journalism 257
  22. 14. The Economics of Journalism and News Provision 281
  23. 15 Politics and Policies of Journalism and Free Press 297
  24. 16. The Technology of Journalism 321
  25. 17. Journalism and Geography 335
  26. V. The Journalism Ecology
  27. 18. Entrepreneurial Journalism 355
  28. 19. Mapping the Citizen News Landscape: Blurring Boundaries, Promises, Perils, and Beyond 373
  29. 20. Advocacy Journalism 391
  30. 21. Documentary Journalism 415
  31. 22. Lifestyle Journalism 433
  32. VI. The Issues of Journalism
  33. 23. Journalism, War, and Peace 453
  34. 24. Journalism, Censorship, and Press Freedom 473
  35. 25. Journalism, Pluralism, and Diversity 493
  36. 26. Journalism, Gender, and Race 511
  37. 27. Journalism, Audiences and Community Engagement 531
  38. VII. Conclusion
  39. 28. Journalism and Change 555
  40. 29. The Future of Journalism Scholarship 575
  41. Biographical sketches 587
  42. Index 591
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 9.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781501500084-009/html
Scroll to top button