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Journalism as a Profession

• Schudson, Ch. 7, "News Sources," pp. 134-153
• Schudson, Ch. 8, "The Political Culture of News," pp. 154-166

Why do journalists rely so heavily on official, particularly government, sources? What do public relations offices of large institutions do? How do reporters on news beats rely on sources? What makes a source "authoritative"? How are foreign affairs journalists in the Netherlands different from their American counterparts? How are journalists influenced by other reporters? What is "seduction by proximity to power"? In what ways has "spinning" (and other parajournalistic practices) grown more elaborate over the years? How does Schudson criticize proposals for media reform?

Why does Schudson argue "political institutions and media institutions are so deeply intertwined …. that it is not easy to distinguish where one begins and the other leaves off"? How has government become "reoriented" into a form of campaigning, and Presidential strategy focused on "going public"? How are the relations between journalism and government different in Germany, Britain, and the US? What trends in government/journalism relations are common internationally?