The factors which affect or delimit the journalist’s writings and way of doing journalism, might rely on the journalistic ethical boundaries within the journalistic cultures journalists inhabit.

This thesis explores and compares the performative ethical action of journalists emerging from their writings, and between the journalistic cultures of Spain and Sweden. 

Digital news articles on sexual violence are analysed in a comparative and cross-national manner, helped by Three Dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis and Semiotics. Diffraction is employed as complementary perspective to reflect critically on differences, revealing where and how these materialize concerning ethics within journalistic cultures.   

The study finds that detailed information of the parties involved in sexual violence is written in Spanish news articles more often than in Swedish ones. The cases journalists write about are part of the social realities of both countries, and are being experienced and performed (in writing) in a different manner in terms of journalistic dimensions as well. The information presented in the news articles -in both written and visual form- is similar between the countries depending on whether the article is published in mainstream ‘quality’ or ‘tabloid’ media outlets. Journalists from both countries inform on these cases within the limits of journalistic ethics. The approach to these crimes seem to be framed by these journalistic ethical boundaries, journalistic cultures, as well as personal ethical choices existing in both countries. These ethical ideals manifest by actions -the published journalistic text- and are relative and contextual. Journalists seem to be important key-actors producing information, culture, and the journalistic culture they inhabit while writing and disseminating these news.

The study concludes that the performative ethical action of the journalist from the selected Spanish media outlets suggests an existing professional and relative ethical approach. From the Swedish media outlets, however, the performative ethical action of the journalist falls under the category of professional and idealistic ethics.