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.

---

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

---

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

See Examples For:

journalism

He said the company would instead invest in journalism that “is differentiated, consequential and difficult to replicate; reporting rooted in our communities and strengthened by sources, investigation, verification, context and judgment.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

The three men maintained that they were performing citizen journalism and were at her property to obtain a doorstep interview, as part of their own documentary, and that they were acting in the public interest.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Moreno was from Orange County and graduated from Chapman University with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

"Credible research suggests that community notes can only be effective when contributors can rely on accurate, ethically produced, fact-checked journalism and other high-quality sources when drafting their notes," Chetwynd said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

By combining journalism with anthropology, I’ve tried in previous writings not simply to observe but to participate in the lives of railroad tramps, illegal Mexican immigrants, Kenyan truckers, and even the elite of Aspen, Colorado.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover