Professionaalne ajakirjandus ajakirjanduse eriala üliõpilaste perspektiivis
Date
2012
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Professional Journalism from the Perspective of Journalism Students.
This master's thesis analyses Estonian journalism student's motivations, understanding ja vision of
professional journalism profession. The thesis is made as part of a international survey which had
the aim of comparing Estonian, Finnish, Swedish, Polish and Russian journalism students in order
too evaluate the professionalization of journalism education and profession.
The analysis is made based on the survey results which was conducted in the five nations top
journalism teaching universities. The international data gives the opportunity to position and
analyse Estonian journalism students, their evaluations and vision of journalism profession in an
international context.
The analysis revealed that the evaluations and assessments of journalism students are broadly
similar and originate from professional values and roles of journalism. This co insides with the
theory of professional journalism, which states that a integral part of a professions
professionalization is a standardised education that teaches the same values and understandings to
the future professionals. This means that thanks to the standardized journalism education the
journalism profession in participated countries is professionalizing.
Estonian journalism students are even more than the others basing their values and evaluations on
classical professional journalism roles and norms. This points to a highly professional journalism
education in Estonia and the forming of professional identity of the students during their education.
Unlike the other nations, Estonia on the other hand puts less focus on specialization and on the
information and communication technologies. This makes the students also less interested in those
subjects.
The thesis also confirmed that in the process of education and rising in the degree level, the
idealistic young journalism students become more realistic and critical in their views. The students
in the masters level are more certain in themselves and their evaluations and have an even higher
degree of respect for the roles and tasks of professional journalism.