journalism

American  

[jur-nl-iz-uhm] / ˈdʒɜr nlˌɪz əm /

noun

1. the occupation of reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news or of conducting any news organization as a business.

2. press.

3. a course of study preparing students for careers in reporting, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines.

4. writing that reflects superficial thought and research, a popular slant, and hurried composition, conceived of as exemplifying topical newspaper or popular magazine writing as distinguished from scholarly writing.

   He calls himself a historian, but his books are mere journalism.

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journalism British  

/ ˈdʒɜːnəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the profession or practice of reporting about, photographing, or editing news stories for one of the mass media

2. newspapers and magazines collectively; the press

3. the material published in a newspaper, magazine, etc

   this is badly written journalism

4. news reports presented factually without analysis

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Etymology

Origin of journalism

From the French word journalisme, dating back to 1825–35. See journal, -ism

Explanation

If your dream job includes writing for a newspaper or interviewing famous people for a magazine, you hope to someday work in the field of journalism. Working for a radio or TV news show, a magazine, a newspaper, or a news-related website would all be considered journalism. Those jobs might include reporting, writing, editing, photography, or documentary film making. An individual newspaper or magazine is sometimes called a "journal," and the category of these publications is also called journalism. The first newspaper ever published was a German journal printed in Strassburg in 1605, called "Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien."

Example Sentences

Audience size isn’t everything; good journalism can have an impact well beyond its immediate reach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Nor has she spent much time editing reporters who do that kind of meat-and-potatoes journalism.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described him as "a true giant in journalism" who is now "helping others feel less alone and raising awareness of a condition that affects so many families".

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Much of this is known only because of the dogged investigative journalism from David A. Fahrenthold, who has spent years following the money around Donald Trump and his orbit for the New York Times.

From Slate • Jun. 4, 2026

High priests in journalism and culture are fond of fussing that the Internet is dislocating, isolating, dangerous.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz