What Is Journalism For?

by Allsop, Jon

Media studies

Published 08/04/2025 by Bristol University Press in the United Kingdom as part of the What Is It For? series.

Paperback | 180 pages, 12 Illustrations, black and white

What is at stake when journalism is threatened? Does society still need journalists?Journalism faces multiple threats today all over the world: economic decline, online disinformation, the rise of AI, authoritarian curbs on freedom of the press, and violence against journalists. In such a climate, it’s more urgent than ever to ask what journalism is for. Drawing on his experience as a journalist and media commentator, and on interviews with journalists from the US to Myanmar, Jon Allsop examines key concepts that constitute journalism’s role: good judgement, concern for truth and critical scrutiny of one or more communities. Along the way, he also considers the relationship between journalism and activism; whether journalists should aspire to change the world and whether they can be seen as champions of democracy.