The social responsibility of journalists, a paradoxical injunction? Limitations and challenges of ethical discourse of French newspaper companies

Abstract

This paper aims to contribute to the theoretical and epistemological discussions about journalist’s social responsibility. Focused on the case of the ethical discourse of French journalists, it shows that this discourse is becoming more and more influent on the professional sphere, but also that journalists don’t really have the means to concretize their moral and civic intentions. Critical sociology provides many interpretations of this paradoxical observation. But to go beyond criticism and make the speeches become actions, it’s also important to show the precious contributions of "public journalism" and a pragmatic approach (inspired by Palo Alto School) of the interactions between the journalists and their complex environment within the media system.

Keywords

• journalism
• ethics
• social responsability of organizations
• professional ethics
• critical sociology
• pragmatic theories
• Palo Alto School