On the Task of the Newspaper and the Journalist’s Mission (or about What and How the Journalist from the Past was Supposed to Write so as to Attract Readers)

The Romanian journalism has never lacked harsh criticism, and those who, in time, proclaimed themselves disgusted or saddened by it led to the impression that they are more numerous than those who talked about the benefits provided by the existence of the press. In this study we aim at discussing about the task of the newspaper and the journalist’s mission, as they were understood in some periods from the past. In order to achieve our goal, we read many articles which were published in the Romanian press from the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. A significant part of our research dealt with the books “De relationibus novellis / On News Reporting” (by Tobias Peucer) and “Ziaristica” [“Journalism”] (by Emil Samoilă).