Epistemologies of TV journalism: A theoretical framework

Abstract

This article sketches a theoretical framework for studies of the epistemologies of journalism. In this context epistemology does not refer to philosophical inquiries into the nature of true knowledge but to the study of knowledge-producing practices and communication of knowledge claims. The focus in the article is mainly on TV journalism. The theoretical framework distinguishes three fundamental areas and three main questions for research on the epistemologies of journalism: (1) form of knowledge (What are the characteristics of the knowledge that television journalism produces and offers its audiences?); (2) production of knowledge (What rules, routines, institutionalized procedures and systems of classification guide the production of knowledge and how do journalists decide what is sufficiently true and authoritative?); and (3) public acceptance of knowledge claims (What conditions are decisive for the public's acceptance or rejection of the knowledge claims of television journalism?). The article develops the framework by way of theoretical conceptualizations and empirical illustrations from concrete forms of TV journalism.