Journalistic role performance. Concepts, contexts, and methods

This great book tackles a big challenge. Unlike existing volumes on role performance that are based mainly on empirical research, this book takes a more conceptual and theoretical route, even if documentary and verification materials are missing. Despite this absence, the book is essential reading to approach empirical work. The topic is clearly introduced in the title: journalistic role performance. The book is divided in three parts: the first one deals with definitions, the second investigates role performance in various environments, and the last one discusses methodological problems. As in any collection, the quality of the chapters is uneven. I found the introductory chapters by Mellado and colleagues and the chapter by Waisbord to be extremely interesting. Other chapters in the first part of the book are rich in reference to various literatures not limited to media scholarship, as they include other scientific fields such as philosophy (the chapter by Ornebring) and normativism (the chapter by Eide). The section on methodology is essential reading for research about journalistic role performance. If I had the authority, I would make this book mandatory reading.