Politics and the ‘Ideology’ of Journalism in Romania: Results from Local Case Studies

The paper approaches the ‘ideology’ of Romanian post-communist journalism as identified in local news media organisations. We focus on the practical philosophy of journalism, emphasizing elements such as autonomy, truth, objectivity; and the relationship of journalists and news organisations with political actors. Special attention is given to the interplay between this practical philosophy and the political and economic constraints influencing news media organisations in Romania. We approach this topic using in-depth interviews with journalists and editors from news media organisations in three Romanian cities. We argue that two different ‘ideologies’ of journalism as a profession exist. These are complemented by a tendency toward reducing journalism to a simple occupation, linked to the politicization of media ownership in Romania and the widespread use of media organisations as vehicles for the free speech of their owners.