Meedia enesekriitika temaatika Eesti trükiajakirjanduses
Date
2009
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Description
Media self-criticism in the Estonian media
This Bachelor’s Thesis concentrates on research into the aspect of self-criticism in the
Estonian media, the aim is to answer two main questions. The first question is: what does the
Estonian media criticise about itself? The second question is: to what extent does a discussion
on the aspect of media criticism take place and what topics arise when arguing the role of
media criticism?
The research is based on articles published in 2008 about media criticism or criticism of the
media in the paper format of the daily newspapers Postimees & Eesti Päevaleht and weekly
newspapers Sirp & Eesti Ekspress.
It appeared that when categorising critical parts of the texts from the articles (in order to
answer the first question) criticism during this period could be divided into two major
categories: criticism regarding the content of the media and the criticism against the media
makers. Four more concrete objects of criticism could be distinguished under both categories.
The category “criticism regarding the content of the media” criticism of the media was mainly
based on the content and it could be divided into four subcategories as follows:
a) the media that is negative, dramatising, altering reality;
b) too much of an entertainment component;
c) white journalism;
d) examples of sexism.
The category “criticism against the media makers” includes criticism that is directed firstly at
the journalists, the media makers. The subcategories of this category were the following:
a) a disregard of journalistic norms, unprofessionalism of journalists;
b) violation of civil rights;
c) problematic relations between the Estonian journalists and the Russian community;
d) a denigrating mentality and propagation of the philistine attitudes.
In discussion regarding the media criticism (in order to answer the second question of the
research) two major themes could be distinguished as follows:
1. “ambiguity of the media criticism” – very many authors held the view that when the
media is criticised, it is essential to specify the object of criticism because criticism of
the whole media is aimless, the criticism is ambiguous.
2. “the low level of the media criticism” – from the viewpoints of the authors it was
evident that the level of Estonian media criticism is considered relatively low.
Identifying the problem areas of the media criticism is relatively vague and there is no
real debate regarding media criticism.
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General), bakalaureusetööd