An affiliation between the Journalism Studies Interest Group (JSIG) and the editors of two significant channels of our academic field, Journalism: Theory, Practice, and Criticism (Sage) and Journalism Studies (Routledge) was agreed upon in October. The affiliation will take effect in January 2005.

Part of the agreement is that both journals, Journalism and Journalism Studies will be offered to JSIG members at a 35 percent discount rate. Eligible for discount subscription are only individual members of the Journalism Studies Interest Group. For subscription order, please use the special order forms which are available for download from our web site at
http://www.icahdq.org/divisions/JournalismStudies/
jsigweb4/index.html.

Through the affiliation, JSIG will be able to publish a yearly report in the journals. This report will appear in Journalism in odd years and in Journalism Studies in even years. Additionally, both journals will alternately provide a free advertisement to JSIG in each issue, informing readers about the existence of the interest groupand offering information about how to join. The advertisement will appear in Journalism in even years, in Journalism Studies in odd years.

In terms of publication, the Journalism Studies Interest Group will give authors of top papers that are accepted for the ICA annual conferences an equal choice to submit their papers either to Journalism or to Journalism Studies. These papers will then undergo another review procedure defined by the journals. If everything runs smoothly, top papers can appear in academic journals only months after being presented at annual conferences.

The Journalism Studies Interest Group is confident that this affiliation not only will boost our own membership, but it also will strengthen the importance of Journalism and Journalism Studies to the academy in general and journalism scholars in particular.

Thomas Hanitzsch
Chair, JSIG