On “Having Been There”: “Eyewitnessing” as a Journalistic Key Word

This article tracks the evolution of "eyewitnessing" as a journalistic key word. It argues that three dimensions have helped establish eyewitnessing as a way to understand journalism—the eyewitness as report, eyewitness as role, and eyewitness as technology. These dimensions have functioned as different carriers of meaning about journalism over time, establishing a seemingly consensual understanding of journalism and journalistic practice while strengthening journalism's claim to authority in questionable circumstances.