The Development and Trends of Journalism Research in Turkey: A Systematic Literature Review from the First Study to 2024

Journalism research in Türkiye has experienced significant growth, but it remained largely overlooked in international academic discourse until recently. Although early studies existed, relevant publications were not indexed in prominent databases such as Scopus and Web of Science until 2011, limiting the field’s international visibility. This study aims to systematically analyze the development and trends within journalism research in Türkiye, tracing its evolution from the earliest publications through 2024. Using a systematic literature review (SLR), the study screened 825 records retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 framework and ultimately included 62 peer-reviewed articles. The review identifies a publication peak in 2021–2022 and a dominant focus on media freedom and censorship (37.10%), while topics such as alternative media and data journalism remain underexplored. Turkish scholars authored 56.5% of the publications, indicating strong local engagement but limited international collaboration. In addition, 64.5% of the studies did not articulate an explicit theoretical framework, pointing to a need for stronger conceptual grounding. Methodologically, the literature was predominantly qualitative (74%), with journalists constituting the most frequently studied group (21%). The study calls for future research to address emerging areas of journalism, diversify methodological approaches, strengthen theoretical foundations, and foster greater international collaboration.