Contributions of Cultural Journalism in Algeria and its Role in Shaping Intellectual and Cultural Identity

Abstract

Journalism is considered a fundamental tool in disseminating culture, shaping intellectual eliteand reinforcing them through the presentation of news, information, and ideas in the fields of literature, arts, and sciences. It also plays a role in preserving and developing heritage. This role was prominent in Algerian journalism before independence, as it protected Algerian culture and intellectuals, promoted awareness, strengthened the sense of belonging, and fought various forms of cultural distortion. Many national titles emerged, such as the journalism of the Association of Muslim Ulema (Scholars)and reformist journalism. After independence, with the emergence of political and media pluralism and openness, the cultural role of newspapers did not change significantly but was confined to cultural pages and literary supplements of many public and private newspapers. This was aimed at presenting Algerian cultural heritage, preserving it, and supporting Algerian writers and intellectuals to strengthen Algerian cultural movements and thus build an authentic, solid, and strong Algerian cultural identity. Despite the financial, intellectual, and racial challenges, Algerian newspapers still play a decisive and strategic role in the process of cultural change and highlighting the cultural and intellectual structures existing in Algerian society. Based on the above, we aim to answer the following questions in our paper:

• How did cultural journalism contribute to preserving Algerian intellectual and cultural identity?
• What is the current status of cultural journalism in Algeria after independence?
• What are the challenges faced by national journalism in supporting Algerian culture after independence?