CAJ discussion paper - "What is journalism?"

OTTAWA, July 18, 2012 /CNW/ - In the fall, the Canadian Association of Journalists asked its ethics advisory committee to weigh in on the question of journalists and journalism.

With ever-changing sands that continue to shift in our industry, it's a question that can change depending on which of those grains you've got in your scope. Ask someone what they think journalism is and prepare to receive a wide array of responses.

To prompt that conversation, the ethics advisory committee replied with the discussion paper "What is journalism?" The paper has been posted to www.caj.ca and the ethics section of www.j-source.ca. Led by panel chair Patrick Brethour, who kicks off discussion in a J-source post, the paper proposes a three-point answer to define journalism.

Journalism involves these three parts, the discussion paper argues: a disinterested purpose; the act of creation; and a particular set of methods.

"The CAJ and J-source hope to engage journalists on this question in the coming days and months," CAJ president Hugo Rodrigues said. "By continuing this conversation, we can help define our work as it continues to evolve. Through the discussion, we can get a better understanding of what constitutes good journalism and a good journalist."

A live chat hosted on both J-source and the CAJ website will be the first of these public discussions, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 19, 2012. Further discussions and events - online and perhaps in person - will continue this discussion into the fall.

The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing hundreds of members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are public-interest advocacy and high-quality professional development for its members.

Hugo Rodrigues, CAJ president, 519-756-2020 ext. 2226, 519-535-8680 cell  [email protected]

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