공인에 대한 언론사와 언론인의 인식 연구

초록

This study examined how differently journalists and media companies understand the public figure from that of court judges in Korea. Previous research found out that the press, through their news articles and columns, tried to provide their own definition about public figure. The press also tended to make an image of the public figure in reporting about how the public figure should behave in our society. However, these research did not directly investigate how Korean journalists and their media company perceive about the public figure. This study made an frame analysis on editorials of five major newspapers which are related with public figure. It also did online interviews with a total of 32 journalists of newspaper, broadcast, and internet media, who had more than 10 years of work experiences. As a matter of fact, on the one hand, the press was expected to do what it should do in news reporting as watch dog, on the other hand, the press was also expected to properly report about the public figure. As a result, it was found that even though the press did not try to develop the image of public figure and ask the Korean courts to consider the role and function that the press does in our society like 10 or 19 years ago, the press’s understanding about the public figure does not quite same as that of Korean courts. The interviewees replied that although they do not know exactly who are the public figure, so called “Public Figure Rule” could be very helpful for the press to report about the public figures freer than private figure with no chilling effects. As a conclusion, it can be said that so called public figure rule from the U.S.A. was not imported as it is, similar principle is being made by court cases in recent years.

키워드