Medijska istra?ivanja/Media Research
CALL FOR PAPERS
Special Issue on
International Journalistic Ideology in the 
Context of National Traditions of Journalism
Editor of the journal: Prof. Dr. Nada Zgrabljiæ 
Rotar (University of Zadar, Croatia)
Guest Editors of the Special Issue: Prof. Dr. 
Melita Poler Kovaèiè & Prof. Dr. Karmen Erjavec 
(University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Editors of Medijska istra?ivanja/Media Research 
have decided to devote a special issue (2011, 
Vol. 17, No. 1-2) to the following topics:
In journalism studies literature, some of the 
most crucial journalistic themes?such as 
autonomy, ethics, and professional 
knowledge?have often been researched as the 
criteria of journalism professionalization and a 
part of a common (or at least dominant) 
journalistic ideology. Questions related to 
these topics have been posed within discussions 
about the wider crisis of journalism, i.e., the 
crisis of journalism?s foundations and goals, 
and its theory and practice. Although several 
authors have (optimistically) argued that some 
common or even universal grounds exist within 
journalism, others have pointed to differences 
and disagreements, which are reflected in 
different ways of understanding and practicing 
journalism in various parts of the world. 
Numerous research studies have confirmed so far 
that the systems and traditions of journalism 
vary, while others have been persistent in 
emphasizing commonalities. Changes in media 
environment, processes of globalization and 
multiculturalism, scaling down of national 
borders, moving news to the Internet, an 
increasingly international (multinational) 
audience, and other phenomena relevant to the 
present time point to the need for reflection 
about what (if anything) journalism and 
journalists around the world have in common. 
These changes make us reconsider some old 
questions about the meaning and definition of 
quality journalism, placing them in a new light. 
Considering the diversity of approaches to 
journalism, can we speak about a common (or a 
dominant) journalistic ideology and/or an 
international news culture? Is journalism really 
so largely dependent on the broader (historical, 
social, and cultural) context that it is 
virtually senseless to search for universal 
values and common understandings of what 
constitutes journalism? Does journalism, due to 
the new and the issues mentioned above, need to 
strive for universal and internationally 
accepted definitions of its constituent 
elements? Should the lack of consensus on what 
journalism is (or should be) in all parts of the 
world be accepted as a fact and instead be 
accompanied by learning about other cultures, 
systems, and traditions of journalism by 
promoting understanding and respect for difference?
Authors included in this special issue of 
Medijska istra?ivanja/Media Research should 
consider these questions as a starting-point for 
their research. It is strongly recommended that 
the authors proceed from journalistic traditions 
in their own countries, do original research, 
and then discuss it in a wider context of 
(presumably) international news culture and 
journalistic ideology. Comparative analyses are 
also very welcome as well as theoretical 
reflections about the issues described above.
Interested authors should submit abstracts in 
the English language (200 to 250 words) to both 
editors 
(<mailto:(melita.poler-kovacic /at/ fdv.uni-lj.si)>(melita.poler-kovacic /at/ fdv.uni-lj.si) 
& 
<mailto:(karmen.erjavec /at/ fdv.uni-lj.si)>(karmen.erjavec /at/ fdv.uni-lj.si)) 
by March 1st, 2011. The authors will be notified 
about whether their abstracts meet the criteria until March 15th, 2011.
The deadline for submission of full articles in 
the English language and up to 7000 words will 
be June 15st, 2011. After reading the 
submissions, the editors will decide which of 
them will be rejected immediately and which will 
be sent for review to two reviewers. The 
deadline for submitting final revised articles will be September 1st, 2011.
Information about the journal, including 
guidelines for authors, can be found at: 
<http://www.mediaresearch.cro.net/>http://www.mediaresearch.cro.net/.