It’s more of a mindset
Journalism professionals’ perceptions and experiences of constructive journalism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7477698 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Natasha Van Antwerpen (0000-0002-1886-4603, The University of Adelaide, corresponding author), Liesbeth Hermans (0000-0003-4986-9156, Windeshiem University of Applied Sciences) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 1249-1269 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journalism (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1464-8849 • E-ISSN: 1741-3001 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/14648849251331262 |
| OpenAlex | W4408968845 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 31 |
Constructive journalism is an approach of increasing interest in journalism scholarship and practice. The approach draws on positive and cognitive psychology to underpin choices when reporting, such as including possible solutions, developments, context, and stories of hope in news reports. While it has gained momentum, ongoing work is needed to align practice and research when defining and implementing constructive journalism. We report on a thematic analysis of interviews with journalism professionals ( N = 16) to clarify how professionals understand and use constructive journalism and the opportunities, concerns, and barriers they experience in doing so. While, across our sample, themes encapsulated a range of techniques aligning with those discussed in the constructive journalism literature, participants described constructive journalism as a mindset or principled approach, but often found it difficult to describe specific practical techniques. Participants experienced barriers, including traditional standards, fear of activism, and structural barriers such as limited time and resources. Drawing on participant insights, we discuss some suggestions for newsrooms and educators when implementing constructive journalism
Citizen journalism · Constructive · Epistemology · Journalism · Media studies · Mindset · Perception · Political science · Process (computing · Public relations · Sociology · Computer Science · Media Studies and Communication · Psychology · Law · Philosophy
Constructive Journalism
A systematic review of constructive and solutions journalism research
Evaluating the effects of solutions and constructive journalism
Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis
Perspectives from Journalism Professionals on the Application and Benefits of Constructive Reporting for Addressing Misinformation
Investigating the Gap between Newspaper Journalists’ Role Conceptions and Role Performance in Nine European, Asian, and Latin American Countries
Positive Psychology as a Theoretical Foundation for Constructive Journalism
Introduction
Conceptualizing News Avoidance
Constructive Journalism
Constructive Journalism
The Ideal and Practice of Constructive Journalism
The Constructive Role of Journalism
The Potential of Constructive Journalism Ideas in a Croatian Context
Placing Constructive Journalism in Context
Making Change
Constructive journalism
Elements of constructive journalism
Interest matters
Towards a processual understanding of trust
Children’s cognitive responses to constructive television news
Words that work?’ Practices of constructive journalism in a local Caribbean context
Mitigating the consequences of negative news
The effects of constructive journalism techniques on mood, comprehension, and trust
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |