Black-boxing Journalistic Chains, an Actor-network Theory Inquiry into Journalistic Truth

ABSTRACT

Understanding journalistic truth has always been important in Journalism Studies, but it is increasingly significant in a society influenced by constantly evolving digital technologies and information disorder. This article explores the potential of “actor-network theory” to enhance the understanding of journalistic truth, surpassing the limitations of existing perspectives that categorise it as objective, subjective, or a combination of the two. Alternatively, through the utilisation of a plausibility probe case study in investigative journalism, the article suggests examining news-making as black-boxing and conceptualises journalistic truth as arising from the skilful construction of journalistic chains comprising heterogeneous actors. We discuss these as pivotal steps toward gaining a deeper understanding of journalistic truth that paves the way for constructing an alternative but empirical account of journalism.

KEYWORDS:

• Actor-network theory
• journalistic truth
• epistemology of journalism
• objectivity
• subjectivity
• Realism‌
• social constructivism

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The paper is prepared from the work done for the doctoral research of Dilina Nawarathhe and it is partially funded by Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) programme, Sri Lanka.