New Zealand’s Performance-Based Research Fund regime makes no explicit provision for journalism practice-as-research, although it does not exclude it either. The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has hinted at applied research changes that may open the door to investigative journalism and other long-form modes for the next audit in 2018. As a growing global debate responds to international pressure on journalism practitioner-academics to publish scholarly outputs and seek external research income, there has been a parallel paradigm shift in defining methodologies for some journalism as research. This article advocates a bolder approach by journalism educators in New Zealand to push the boundaries for greater acceptance of journalism research methodologies and to claim an enhanced academic space as a ‘critic and conscience of society’.
Behind the Shroud (2011 documentary by Selwyn Manning, 90min)
Robie, D. (2015). Advocating journalism practice-as-research: A case for recognition in the New Zealand PBRF context. Asia Pacific Media Educator June 2015 vol. 25 no. 1 62-73. Available at: http://ame.sagepub.com/content/25/1/62.abstract doi: 10.1177/1326365X15575591