ABSTRACT
Journalistic role conception has been a key concept in studies of journalistic cultures that assess the roles journalists prioritize when informing society. No doubt, any occupational group develops certain belief systems that give meaning to their work in its attempt to claim professional status (Waisbord, 2013). Professional roles as ideals of journalistic practice are important for the profession of journalism because as Mellado (2015, p. 596) suggests, “ideals and values serve to legitimatize and dene journalism. Evaluative ideals are the tools and skill sets that set journalism apart from other elds […].” Hanitzsch (2007) also argues that professional role conceptions help to form an identity of journalism.
