Research On Journalists' Occupational Ideology Of Caixin Media

Journalists is an important research issue in practical journalism research.In the past,there are many admirable journalists who worked for market-oriented media as the Southern Weekly,The Beijing News and reported vital stories such as the case of Sun Zhigang,SARS,and Wenchuan earthquake.But in current years,with decrease of the original news industry,most of these journalists chose to pursue other career,the influence of those major market-oriented media cannot compete with themselves in the past either.So who are the people who still choose to be a journalist?How is their career environment?How do they recognize media's function,occupational role and self-identity?In order to answer these questions,I choose Caixin Media,which is known for its belief in journalistic professionalism as a model,and try to depict the ideal blueprint of the occupational ideology and career environment for Chinese journalists.Using the deep interviews and literature research methods,I studied the occupational ideology of the journalists of Caixin and finally have to reach the conclusions:First of all,the journalists of Caixin Media value the independence and public interest of the media,in contrast to the government-owned media as the "mouthpiece".Their perception of media's function can be concluded into three levels:the recorder of civil society,the "watchdog" as the supervisor and the "woodpecker" that promotes the positive development of reformation.However,due to external circumstances,the role of supervisors and promoters are faced with multiple dilemmas,they have no choice but emphasis on the media as a recorder role and practice.Secondly,the journalists of Caixin Media uphold the belief of journalistic professionalism,through strict compliance with the practical rules of journalistic professionalism,they realize the occupational role of journalists as an objective and neutral third party.Although in fact they still want to play a positive role in promoting changes through reporting,but the strict and complete news production processes and operational guidelines of Caixin Media also make them realize that the objectivity is not only a concept,but also kind of operational guidelines and an accessible goals.Finally,the self identity of the journalists of Caixin Media appeared obvious intergenerational division between "intellectuals" and "professionals".The older generation of journalists all uphold the belief of contributing to the society as an intellectual because of their age and practical experience,while the new generation of journalists prefer to think themselves as a professional who take journalism as an career because of facing a serious crisis of survival.The concept of "professionals" is the same with the belief of Caixin Media.In spite of this,the older generation of journalists as the mainstay of Caixin Media still have enough freedom,their ideas can also be practiced within the news production process and operational guidelines of Caixin Media,good stories are being reported day by day.Although there are differences between the understanding and practice of journalistic professionalism in different media,it is undeniable that the influence of journalistic professionalism on Chinese journalism and Chinese journalists is increasing,and the degree of specialization of Chinese journalists is gradually increasing,the professional community of Journalism and community identity is also shaping,more and more journalists agree the independent identity of the media as a recorder and supervisor,trying to practice as a neutral third party and to report with objectivity in the practical journalism,it also rise the recognition of the basic principles of journalistic professionalism to be the operational guidelines in journalism.In a word,the Internet communication pattern and the participation of capital is also affecting the occupational ideology of Chinese journalists,along with changes in social transformation and communication method changes,the Chinese journalists' journalistic professionalism is also in a state of changing.