Journalism: Craft or Profession?

Abstract

This paper was undertaken to summarize some of the important thoughts on journalism and professionalism and to accumulate a list of reference materials which, hopefully, will prove helpful to anyone wishing to pursue the subject further. Scant attempt is made in these pages to analyze the ideas and arguments summarized herein, although it is possible that opinion has crept in unseen. The purpose of this paper is not to make a value judgment based on the material presented here, but rather to provide sufficent information for the reader to judge for himself. The material is presented in three sections: "Social Scientists," "The Government" and "Observers." Each group attacks the question from a different perspective and uses a different methodology. [From introductory section]