Traditionally, one of the most important boundaries for journalism has been the nation-state and its borders. Reporters have mostly focused on events and people within their countries.
However, the need for international co-operation – cross-border journalism (CBJ) – has been increasing in recent decades. Globalization and climate change are two prime examples of developments that transcend national boundaries and require international co-operation, and the so-called Panama Papers serve as a reminder of the positive impacts of CBJ.
In academic research, the topic is also beginning to attract increasing attention. Now, CBJ experts from all over the world have joined forces to create a volume describing the phenomenon, its history, current examples, and future pathways.
The new book, The Palgrave Handbook of Cross-Border Journalism, has been edited by eminent scholars Liane Rothenberger, Martin Löffelholz and David H. Weaver.
The handbook critically analyzes cross‐border news production and “transnational journalism cultures” in the evolving field of CBJ. As the era of the internet has further expanded the border‐transcending production, dissemination and reception of news, and with transnational co‐operations like the European Broadcasting Union and BBC World News demonstrating different kinds of CBJ, the handbook considers the field with a range of international contributions.
It explores CBJ from conceptual and empirical angles and includes perspectives on the systemic contexts of CBJ, its structures and routines, changes in production processes, and the shifting roles of actors in digital environments. It examines CBJ across regions and concludes with discussions on the future of CBJ, including the influence of automation, algorithmisation, virtual reality and AI.
The 618-page volume features 38 chapters written by 62 scholars. One of the authors is TaRC’s Svetlana Pasti, who has contributed one chapter to the volume in co-operation with Andrej Školkay from Slovakia. Their chapter “Cross-Border Journalism in Eastern Europe and Russia” focuses on the history and present state of cross-border reporting in the region.
The authors note that in Eastern Europe, CBJ belongs to a long tradition of cooperation between neighbours, which has gained new impetus for development with their EU accession and EU financial support. It develops around relevant issues such as cross-border and global crime and corruption, tourism and culture.
In Russia, independent journalists develop CBJ on sensitive issues (human rights, corruption, protests), ignored by the mainstream media. Their legitimacy is confirmed by the economic support of readers and professional support of cross-border cooperation. However, their growing influence in society is directly proportional to their risk of closure by the authorities under one pretext or another. The future of CBJ is inextricably linked to the quality of democracy and the rule of law, as well as good neighborhood policy.
TaRC congratulates Svetlana on the new and timely publication!