What is a Journalist in a University?

Abstract

This paper argues that those who see no place for media theory in journalism education have adopted an intellectual approach to journalism which is both inappropriate in a university context and serves neither journalism nor audiences well. Rather, the interaction between the professional practice of journalism and theory and research into journalism can be a close and dynamic one in which research can produce innovative journalism and the professional practice of journalism and experiences of audiences can feed into a research agenda. Links between journalism research and journalism professional practice can be found in journalism about journalism and in the everyday talk of journalists and audiences. Three case studies which have arisen during recent experience in teaching journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney are used to demonstrate these points.