The Gap Between What They Say and What They Do: Journalists’ Role Conception and Role Performance in Socialist-Communist Context

Using survey and content analysis, this study investigates professional role conception and role performance among journalists in Vietnam, which offers a unique case to further our understanding of journalism ideals and practices in a socialist-communist country. This study combines the concept of professional role and the hierarchy of influences model as its theoretical frameworks. Findings indicated that organizational factors (i.e., funding and audience orientation) exert stronger influences on journalists’ role conception, performance, and the perceived-practiced gaps. Theoretical implications are discussed.