What is Important to Journalism and How it Should be Done: Gaps in Journalistic Roles’ Perceptions and Their Impact on Journalistic Authority in Italy

Considering the different expectations that pervade journalism practice, this article aims to understand how discrepancies between the audiences’ and journalists’ perceptions of journalistic roles might affect journalistic authority in Italy. More specifically, we stem from data collected through two simultaneous surveys, one with citizens and another with journalists, to grasp (1) if the public and press professionals have different assessments on journalistic roles; and (2) whether these discrepancies affect citizens’ perceptions of journalistic authority. Results demonstrate that, although both groups have similar patterns concerning their general expectations on journalistic activity, they also differ significantly. While journalists value more aspects related to the monitorial role, Italian citizens also seem to expect a more engaged attitude from the press, giving more importance than news professionals to how journalism may support governments and development. We found that these discrepancies affect journalistic authority in a nuanced way: legitimacy is undermined when journalists and the public disagree about the monitorial role, but rises when the same happens concerning a more partisan view of journalism. Although these findings align with characteristics of the Italian media system, we argue that they also have broader implications for research on journalistic authority, reinforcing the need for more audience-centered investigations.