Navigating the Tightrope: The balance between objectivity and social responsibility in news media

Line Schmeltz; Anna Karina Kjeldsen

Abstract

Purpose: To explore and challenge the prevalent notion that news media supposedly should not and do not take an active stance on social responsibility due to professional standards and traditions of being objective.
Design/methodology/approach: Empirical study based on a mapping of news media house’s official communication about their CSR engagement, analyzed via qualitative content analysis, thereby connecting the fields of CSR and journalistic objectivity.
Results: The results will generate new knowledge on the perception if CSR in news media houses.
Implications: By both challenging existing professional norms and theoretically developing the notion of journalistic objectivity as playing a part in news media’s work with social responsibility, we present a path forward for news media to take social responsibility.

Original language	English
Publication date	2024
Publication status	Published - 2024
Event	7th International CSR Communication Conference: CSR Communication for a World in Crisis - School of Management, University of Bath, UK, Bath, United Kingdom Duration: 17 Sept 2024 → 19 Sept 2024 Conference number: 7 https://csr-com.org/

Conference

Conference	7th International CSR Communication Conference
Number	7
Location	School of Management, University of Bath, UK
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Bath
Period	17/09/24 → 19/09/24
Internet address	https://csr-com.org/

Keywords

Media, communication and languages
News media
News media social responsibility
activism
democratic debate
journalistic objectivity
polarization

1 Contribution to book/anthology

Kvinder i nyhedsmedierne – det er ikke bare lige
Schmeltz, L. & Kjeldsen, A. K., May 2026, Mennesker før køn: Men der er stadig testosteron-øer. Jensen, B. R. (ed.). BookMundo
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Contribution to book/anthology › Research

2 Finished

Den grønne grundskole for kommunikatører
Dam, L. S. (Co-researcher), Kjeldsen, A. K. (Co-researcher), Friis, S. (Co-researcher), Bergh, S. U. S. (Co-researcher), Hansen, S. (Co-researcher) & Boye Thulstrup, A. (Co-researcher)
01/03/25 → 30/09/25
Project: Development project/ Innovation
Mediernes samfundsansvar
Dam, L. S. (Co-researcher) & Kjeldsen, A. K. (Co-researcher)
01/09/24 → 31/12/25
Project: Research

Cite this

@conference{ef3820a053dd4a36bb4faf218bec3467,

title = "Navigating the Tightrope: The balance between objectivity and social responsibility in news media",

abstract = "Purpose: To explore and challenge the prevalent notion that news media supposedly should not and do not take an active stance on social responsibility due to professional standards and traditions of being objective. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical study based on a mapping of news media house{\textquoteright}s official communication about their CSR engagement, analyzed via qualitative content analysis, thereby connecting the fields of CSR and journalistic objectivity. Results: The results will generate new knowledge on the perception if CSR in news media houses. Implications: By both challenging existing professional norms and theoretically developing the notion of journalistic objectivity as playing a part in news media{\textquoteright}s work with social responsibility, we present a path forward for news media to take social responsibility. ",

keywords = "Media, communication and languages, News media, News media social responsibility, activism, democratic debate, journalistic objectivity, polarization",

author = "Line Schmeltz and Kjeldsen, \{Anna Karina\}",

year = "2024",

language = "English",

note = "7th International CSR Communication Conference : CSR Communication for a World in Crisis ; Conference date: 17-09-2024 Through 19-09-2024",

url = "https://csr-com.org/",

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TY - ABST

T1 - Navigating the Tightrope

T2 - 7th International CSR Communication Conference

AU - Schmeltz, Line

AU - Kjeldsen, Anna Karina

N1 - Conference code: 7

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Purpose: To explore and challenge the prevalent notion that news media supposedly should not and do not take an active stance on social responsibility due to professional standards and traditions of being objective. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical study based on a mapping of news media house’s official communication about their CSR engagement, analyzed via qualitative content analysis, thereby connecting the fields of CSR and journalistic objectivity. Results: The results will generate new knowledge on the perception if CSR in news media houses. Implications: By both challenging existing professional norms and theoretically developing the notion of journalistic objectivity as playing a part in news media’s work with social responsibility, we present a path forward for news media to take social responsibility.

AB - Purpose: To explore and challenge the prevalent notion that news media supposedly should not and do not take an active stance on social responsibility due to professional standards and traditions of being objective. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical study based on a mapping of news media house’s official communication about their CSR engagement, analyzed via qualitative content analysis, thereby connecting the fields of CSR and journalistic objectivity. Results: The results will generate new knowledge on the perception if CSR in news media houses. Implications: By both challenging existing professional norms and theoretically developing the notion of journalistic objectivity as playing a part in news media’s work with social responsibility, we present a path forward for news media to take social responsibility.

KW - Media, communication and languages

KW - News media

KW - News media social responsibility

KW - activism

KW - democratic debate

KW - journalistic objectivity

KW - polarization

M3 - Abstract

Y2 - 17 September 2024 through 19 September 2024

ER -

Navigating the Tightrope: The balance between objectivity and social responsibility in news media

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Fingerprint

Research output

Kvinder i nyhedsmedierne – det er ikke bare lige

Projects

Den grønne grundskole for kommunikatører

Mediernes samfundsansvar

Cite this