Abstract
The article reviews, in the light of contemporary transformations in the communicational environment, the notion that journalism operates as an “expert system” - a system of expertise that receives trust by users who are technically unable to evaluate it. New technologies have increased competition in the discursive space, dissolving the monopoly of journalism and eroding its sources of funding. At the same time, radical epistemic uncertainty (“post-truth”) and the insulating of the public in closed enclaves compromise its legitimacy. This situation contributes to the crisis of democracy, since its functioning presupposed a minimum level of agreement on the agenda and on the relevant facts, which journalism supplied.
Keywords:
Journalism; Expert system; Post-truth; Crisis of democracy