Journalistic Autonomy: The Genealogy of a Concept

Autonomy is foundational to journalism. But where does the idea of autonomy come from, and what is it that journalism should be autonomous from? This book presents the genealogy of the idea of journalistic autonomy from the seventeenth century to our contemporary digital age, where algorithms and platforms place new potential constraints on journalistic independence. Tracing how journalists have understood autonomy in relation to the state; to political interests; to the market; to sources; in the workplace; to the audience; and to technology, this book presents a comprehensive account of how journalism has come to terms with its many dependencies.