The journalistic ideal in the context of agenda theories

This article raises the question of the ideal of journalism at a time when the scientific community is increasingly turning to theories of "producing" an information agenda. The authors of the article turn to the roots of agenda theories, their main provisions, the role of the media, which the theorists assign in their hypotheses, and the main ideas about the journalistic ideal that have developed over the course of the research. This topic is relevant within the framework of Agenda-setting theory, Agenda-building, the theory of "echo chambers" gaining popularity, as well as the emerging problems of information determinism as a philosophical view of the role of journalism. The methods of the research were comparative-content analysis of scientific sources, systematization and synthesis of data. The novelty of the study is formed from the approach to considering the issue of the ideal of journalism in the system "State – Mass Media – Recipient". The question of the journalistic ideal in such a context is raised for the first time. Apologetics of the agenda theories cuts the dispute about the ideal into objective and subjective sides. The article comprehensively examines these two branches of the journalistic ideal. The main conclusion of this article is the thesis that the agenda theory, the changed media landscape and the development of information technologies of the day are reforming the view of the ideal of journalism. At the same time, objectivity remains a professional norm in the perception of information, the role of the subjective in journalism is growing. But this should not be condemned by the community and researchers. Only a conscious symbiosis of these two branches of the ideal can lead a professional journalist not only to effective professional work, but also to trust the audience.

Agenda, ideal, journalism, agenda-setting, agenda-building, echo chambers, subjectivism, objectivity, information determinism, journalistic ideal