Tunisian and US journalism students: A comparison of journalism degree motivations and role conceptions

Abstract

This study assesses journalism student motivations and role conceptions among Tunisian and US students to compare aspiring journalists in a country with well-established free-press norms to those in a transitional democracy with a recent history of authoritarianism. Results suggest that Tunisian journalism students are more interested than US journalism students in covering public affairs and using their work to fight social injustice. A Tunisian drive toward public-service journalism is consistent with these socially conscious inclinations.