Attitudes of U.S. Public Broadcasters: A Liberal Helping of Interpretive Journalism.

This article presents the first large-scale survey of U.S. public media journalists, examining their professional values, demographics, and perceptions of their role in journalism and democracy. The study finds that public broadcasters tend to be younger, more liberal, and more diverse than commercial journalists, though they remain dissatisfied with newsroom diversity relative to their communities. Public media journalists prioritize interpretive and populist-mobilizer journalistic roles—focusing on in-depth analysis and audience engagement—over adversarial or rapid dissemination functions. They view their work as vital to American democracy, emphasizing coverage of local politics, education, inclusion of marginalized voices, and maintaining nonpartisanship. The findings suggest public media journalism operates with higher autonomy and distinct professional norms compared to commercial media, reflecting its nonprofit funding model and mission-driven audience support.