Impediments to Journalistic Ethics: How Taiwan’s Media Market Obstructs News Professional Practice

Journalistic ethics becomes an elusive concept in Taiwan’s overcrowded and highly competitive media environment, even though its press system has been regarded as one of the freest in Asia. To explore the lived experiences of media professionals in the island nation, in-depth interviews with 20 current and former media professionals were conducted. Study findings indicate that external, internal, and market forces obstruct the ethical practice expected of journalists. This study examines the alienation and powerlessness of individual reporters facing the structural and systemic impediments, and also impediments to Taiwan journalistic standards.

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