Journalistic objectivity and feminist perspective: towards an articulation

Abstract

This article seeks to initiate a discussion about the articulation of a feminist epistemological perspective with the ideals of journalistic objectivity. It starts with a literature review of the concept and history of journalistic objectivity and the criticisms it received. This is the basis for problematizing the practice and discussing the reproduction of gender inequalities in journalism. Although objectivity today is related to the search for truth, it has not always been understood as central to journalism and has been questioned since its adoption. It is understood that objective journalism ends up reproducing common sense, strongly linked to hegemonic and, thus, patriarchal groups. In journalism, it is possible to verify that there is an uneven practice in relation to gender, either in the representation of women or in the scope of content production. We then consider the feminist epistemology standpoint (Harding, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2006; Hartsock, 1981, 1983) and we seek to start from the proposition of situated knowledge to journalism as an alternative to objectivity, reflecting on new ethical possibilities from a gender perspective.