Press Criticism

Abstract

This entry provides an overview of press/journalism criticism, particularly in democratic societies. It notes the growth of criticism that has paralleled the emergence of the digital age but also points out that the longstanding call for a sustained, systematic tradition of press criticism has not yet been answered in most democracies. The entry makes a case for why criticism of the news media matters, and it analyzes what has historically counted as criticism, who has counted as critic, and how the journalism community has reacted. The entry also briefly considers several of the most important forums for criticism, and it introduces opportunities and challenges for press criticism in the digital age.