Abstract

The main target of this study is to draw a comprehensive portrait of self-perceptions among journalists towards their occupation, through applying the quantitative method of distributing surveys to gather and compare views from journalists working at the four major, most widely-read private newspapers in Egypt, namely: Al-Masry Al-Youm, Al-Shorouk, Al-Watan, and Al-Youm7. The researcher focuses on how journalists perceive their professional identity in terms of professional roles, professional autonomy, job satisfaction, psychological/mental well-being and the ideal self-image of professional journalists. The results showed that the two variables that distinctly affect the self-perception of journalists are the psychological/mental health they possess and the level of professional autonomy they have inside newsrooms. The data gathered from 214 journalists revealed a massive shift in the professional roles of journalists from a "critical change agent" in 2011 to a "populist disseminator" role in 2018. This shift is a substantial milestone in the journalism stream in Egypt, especially seven years after the 25th of January revolution. One of the most serious outcomes of the current study is that political influences were rated by a majority of journalists as an extremely influential factor on their professional autonomy. As long as the national portrait of the Egyptian journalist matters in the eyes of the population, it is highly recommended to investigate how public stereotyping of journalists affects the development of their self-esteem.

Department

Journalism & Mass Communication Department

Degree Name

MA in Journalism & Mass Communication

Graduation Date

2-1-2019

Submission Date

January 2019

First Advisor

Taher, Ahmed

Committee Member 1

Firas, Al-Atraqchi

Committee Member 2

Allam, Rasha

Extent

180

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Approval has been obtained for this item

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