Towards an Inclusive Journalism: A Review of Ethical Norms and Accountability Systems

With the growth of networked digital media environment, the boundary space between mainstream journalism and citizen journalism is getting more contested. Mainstream journalists, however, draw an occupational distinction by using normative values as an ideological wall to keep amateurs from encroaching on their turf. Thus, by reviewing separate bodies of literature on the normative values journalists subscribed to worldwide and the efficiency of media accountability systems in ensuring journalistic responsibility, this chapter questions the notion of the old journalistic order as exclusive purveyor of news and information. From the synthesis of the reviewed perspectives, the chapter proposes a reconfiguration of journalistic ethical norms into accommodating citizen/online journalism practice as well as the institution of new regulatory systems that will ensure the responsibility of citizen journalism to the public. The paper further suggests directions for future studies.