A History of the International Movement of Journalists ─ Professionalism Versus Politics

A History of the International Movement of Journalists reviews how journalism evolved as a profession since the late nineteenth century and how journalists became internationally organized over the past one hundred and twenty years. The story begins in Antwerp in 1894 at the first conference of 'press people', leading to the foundation of the International Union of Press Associations which began to meet annually in different European countries. After World War I the Press Congress of the World was established in the United States. These were preludes to the first trade union oriented association of professional journalists, the Federation Internationale des Journalistes, founded in 1926 with the support of International Labour Organization. It was followed after World War II in 1946 by the International Organization of Journalists in Copenhagen, only to be torn apart by the Cold War, which in 1952 gave rise to the International Federation of Journalists. Each of these associations had difficulties in navigating between professionalism and the politics of their time. This vital part of media history has never before been presented in full.

Kaarle Nordenstreng is Professor Emeritus of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Tampere, Finland. He has worked as a journalist in Finnish national radio, and was President of the International Organization of Journalists, 1976-90. He has written or edited sixty books, including Mapping BRICS Media (2015).

Ulf Jonas Bjork is Professor and Chair of the Department of Journalism and Public Relations at Indiana University-Indianapolis, USA, where he teaches media law and journalism history. He has published numerous articles on topics such as international journalism co-operation, the U.S. immigrant press, and foreign correspondence.

Frank Beyersdorf teaches European and German history at Free University of Berlin and Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. He has published on the League of Nations, international journalism, the Cold War, and internet governance.

Svennik Hoyer is Professor Emeritus of the Department for Media and Communication at the University of Oslo, Norway. He has published many journal articles on media history and communication theory, and a number of books in Norwegian.

Epp Lauk is Professor of Journalism and Head of the Department of Communication at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, and Visiting Professor at Vytautas Magnus University of Kaunas, Lithuania. Her numerous international publications include topics on history and professionalization of journalism, media policy and accountability.