The Institution of Journalism: Conceptualizing the Press in a Hybrid Media System

Abstract

This theoretical essay considers how the institution of journalism, now threatened by authoritarian attack and other challenges, has been conceptualized and proposes a refinement on previous definitions: An institution is a complex social structure—formed by an interlocking network of rules and activities, roles, technologies, norms, and collective frames of meaning–which work together to sustain its coherence, endurance, and value. Guided by this general definition, and to better accommodate new institutional forms of journalism specifically in the hybrid media system, I introduce a typology based on two dimensions: level-of-analysis and structural emphasis, that is whether on traditional news organizations or emerging assemblages. In balancing their roles as critic and champion, I argue that academic observers must not take institutional stability, coherence, and value for granted, which previous perspectives have over-stated, but rather take a more explicitly normative assessment of how different structures contribute to those qualities.

Keywords:

• Assemblage
• field theory
• hybrid media system
• institution
• journalism
• press

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 This essay was prepared in response to a series introduced by this journal, inviting shorter contributions that engage with, and offer definitions of, key concepts in the field. Given the pervasive yet elusive career of the institution, it seemed like a good candidate, although in responding to reviewer critiques the article grew to a more standard length. I appreciate the editor’s encouragement and allowance for the additional elaboration. A further book-length exploration of the institutional themes engaged here can be found in Reese (2021).