Journalism in Kuwait: Journalists’ practices, professional values, and perceived roles

Abstract

This study explores Kuwaiti journalists’ perceptions of journalism as a profession and its role in society. It examines how journalists view different aspects of their practices, values, and roles. First, the study provides a general picture of how journalism is perceived by working journalists in Kuwait and its role in society. Second, it examines how journalists perceive their professional identity by assessing different aspects of their practices, functions, and professional values. In-depth in-person surveys were conducted with 37 Kuwaiti journalists using a forty-five-item questionnaire to develop perceptions towards their profession, values, ethics, and general outlook of Kuwait society. The results show that most Kuwaiti journalists are males and the majority hold a bachelor’s degree. Moreover, 89.2% of surveyed journalists expressed their interest in additional journalism training. In terms of job satisfaction, more than twothirds of journalists are reasonably satisfied with their job.