For a comparative research agenda of professional roles

Abstract

Many investigations seek to know how journalists, journalism students and social sectors assess the role of journalism regarding historical, cultural and social characteristics. International research has been developed with categories that allow to compare aspects such as the roles that journalists assign to themselves about their professional mission, while Brazilian research contribute to the diagnosis of contexts of performance related to particular cultural characteristics, but can be improved for the detection of roles, functions and expectations. This article presents a review of the national and international literature on the professional profile of journalists, examining, above all, the self-assigned roles. The text indicates similarities and contrasts between methodological decisions, in order to point out challenges and highlight opportunities and directions for the advancement of research.