Researchers seem to have some basic agreement regarding how to think about objectivity, following Michael Schudson’s definition of objectivity as "separating facts from values and reporting only the facts." However, there are some differences that emerge when issues such as cultural and historical contexts for journalism are considered. For instance, some researchers have approached objectivity as an inherent and mandatory moral ideal of journalism, choosing to study how widely the standard has reached across the world. Others, however, are less interested in the obligation of objectivity and have sought to instead explore the status of objectivity in the hierarchy of journalistic duties as defined by various cultures. Therefore, as the approaches to objectivity evolve, in this thesis I will be looking for evidence of objectivity as defined by the American system, as well as evidence of alternate definitions of objectivity offered in other cultures. I will elaborate on this further in a subsequent section.
My research will focus on objectivity in the United States and French journalistic systems specifically because each system is considered unique in the way professional standards have evolved there. While the United States is largely considered to be the "birthplace" of today's objective and facts-based journalistic practice, France is home to a much more literary path of journalistic origin. The two countries also occupy a similar tier in the global hierachy, with governments involved in many of the same conflicts and agreements, making the work of comparison much easier. I will elaborate on this further in a subsequent section.
