Recognizing the Importance of Alternative Media

Abstract

Most research on journalists’ role perceptions and journalistic culture remains Western-focused, and is limited to mainstream media. This quantitative study uses a survey to fill two gaps in the literature by examining differences in role perceptions and journalistic culture among mainstream and alternative media journalists in Brazil. Results indicate significant differences in role perceptions, as mainstream media journalists place more importance on traditional ethics, while alternative media journalists value their normative responsibilities more.

KEYWORDS:

• alternative media
• Brazil
• journalistic culture
• quantitative survey
• role perceptions

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author thanks Rosental Calmon Alves and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin for access to the center’s mailing list.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.