SILENCING OR SHAPING? A QUANTITATIVE STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF CANCEL CULTURE ON JOURNALISM STUDENTS' VALUES AND REPORTING STRATEGIES IN BANGALORE

<p>This study looks at how journalism students' professional ideals and reporting methods are affected by cancel culture, and whether it leads to ethical rerouting or self-censorship. Emerging journalists may find it difficult to control public outrage, which is frequently sparked by social media, or to voice opinions that are deemed controversial. The participants in this study are undergraduate and graduate journalism students in media and communication departments around Bangalore City. In order to evaluate the influence of cancel culture on students' attitudes, actions, and perceptions of journalistic culture, practice, and expressive freedom, the study used a structured quantitative questionnaire and asked a sample of more than 150 participants to respond.</p> <p>The study's main objectives are to ascertain how cancel culture affects journalism students' self-censorship when reporting, evaluate shifts in their professional perspectives, and pinpoint coping strategies brought on by perceived hardship. Because respondents said they adapt their strategies to avoid answering challenging or contentious questions out of fear of criticism, initial impressions point to a moderate to high degree of value shift. However, several participants said they try to convey opposing viewpoints in ways that lessen the harsh criticism that can be found online. By offering data on the effects of cultural phenomena like cancel culture on aspiring reporters, this study contributes to the body of knowledge already available on digital ethics and journalism education. It highlights how important it is for journalism education to have teaching approaches that emphasize censorship, ethical decision-making, and coping mechanisms.</p>