Variations on a Theme: The Professional Role Conceptions of Print and Online Newspaper Journalists

Abstract

A national survey (N=655) examining the professional role conceptions of print and online newspaper journalists revealed the print group perceived the Interpretive/Investigative role as significantly more important than the online group. No significant differences were found between the groups in their perceptions of the Adversarial and Populist Mobilizer roles. Results were mixed for the Disseminator role. The online group rated getting information to the public as quickly as possible as significantly more important than the print group. William P. Cassidy is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.