The Fourth Estate examines the history of journalists and journalism in twentieth-century Ireland. While many media institutions have been subjected to historical scrutiny, the professional and organisational development of journalists, the changing practices of journalism and the contribution it has made to the evolution of modern Ireland have not. This book rectifies the deficit by mapping developments in Ireland from the late 1880s to today.
The study begins with the premise that the position of journalists and the power of journalism are products of their time and are shaped by ever-shifting political, economic, technological and cultural forces. It examines the backgrounds and values of those in the profession, how they viewed and understood their role over the decades, how they organised and what they stood for as a professional body, how the prevailing political and social atmosphere facilitated or constrained their work and, crucially, how their work impacted on social change and contributed to the development of modern Ireland.
Placing experience and practice at the heart of its analysis, the book examines for the first time the work of journalists within the ever-changing context of Irish society. Based on strong primary research - including the previously unconsulted journals and records produced by the many journalistic representative organisations that came and went over the decades - and written in an accessible and engaging style, The Fourth Estate will appeal to anyone interested in journalism, history, the media and the development of Ireland as a modern nation.