Mitologija novinarske objektivnosti: revizija Barthesovega koncepta mita
Mythology of Journalistic Objectivity: A Revision of Barthes’s Concept of Myth

Summary/Abstract: The article derives from the presumption that the credibility of contemporary journalism is based on the myth of journalistic objectivity and that this myth has been changing together with the historical and cultural context. The methodological framework is grounded on a revision of Roland Barthes’ concept of the myth and its merger with contemporary approaches in media and journalism studies. The analysis of the myth of journalistic objectivity is performed through the prism of historical factuality and actual structural factuality. In the first part of the analysis, a diachronic cut reveals the changeability of the structure: from the birth of objectivity in the journalistic community and discourse at the beginning of the twentieth century through to its reproduction in journalistic practice and in media and journalistic studies in the next few decades. In the second part of the analysis a synchronous cut reveals how myth of journalistic objectivity operates in all phases of the journalistic communication process and attempts to interpret the (self-)organisation, (self-)understanding and perception of journalism in the contemporary historical and cultural context. The article proves that the myth is expressed in the permeation of journalistic discourse with dóxa in a specific context. The myth of journalistic objectivity is adapted to power relations in time and space, but at its core it is the same – incomplete, therefore, in gathering, selecting and producing news the myth is able to bring the essence – of journalistic-ness.

• Details
• Contents