Mo “Meta” Blues: How Popular Culture Can Act as Metajournalistic Discourse

Abstract

Prior research into metajournalism argues that this type of discourse holds significant influence on how the journalism industry is socially constructed. Studies of how journalism is depicted in popular culture make the same claim. This study, through a textual analysis of television dramas The Wire and House of Cards, bridges these two bodies of literature and argues that journalism studies scholars should not limit their definition of metajournalistic discourse to journalists commenting on or criticizing the industry and to audience members commenting on or criticizing actual journalism. The results of the study are then interpreted through the lens of the theory of metajournalistic discourse.