Journalism, Debrett's 500 2015, People

Journalism

With continually falling newspaper sales and journalists in court after the fallout from the Leveson Inquiry, it would be fair to say that journalism has been experiencing a crisis. With the ever-growing influence of social media and free online content, the biggest publications in the industry have been adapting to new forms and platforms, and once minor, niche and alternative players have been establishing themselves as respected names. The usual suspects, including The Sun, The Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and The Times, still dominate British print journalism, but with the steady movement towards digital, it’s names like Buzzfeed, Vice and MailOnline which are shaking things up.

To avoid an entirely self-selecting list, this year Debrett’s has avoided including any editors of the leading national newspapers, who still naturally wield the most influence, and has instead opted for reporters, editors, columnists and investigative reporters who are making waves in their fields. In a world which, over the past year, has witnessed increasing censorship of, violence and even atrocities committed against the freedom of the press, it is becoming apparent that the profession of journalism has never before been more vital.