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The first half of the 1910s were a crucial turning period for Max Weber's thought. Whereas he had initially considered the question of the emergence of modern capitalism in relation to religious ethics, he started to link the study of contemporary capitalism with that of a variety of other domains-law, music, and the press. With regard to the latter he sought to set up a broad survey in the context of the creation of the German Sociological Society. This paper narrates the story of the formulation of the survey plan and the failure of the project, before setting out to unravel the relation which Weber seems to have wanted to ascertain, between the 'information economy' and the economy itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his 1919 lecture on the profession and vocation of politics (Politik als Beruf)- probably the best-known and most-read contribution of the German sociologist to the study of journalism-Max Weber refers to journalists as a sort of 'pariah caste'. This metaphor is analyzed here as a cue to understand Weber's portrayal of the two 'aspects' of the condition of journalists in modern media: their market situation and their ethical situation ('character' or 'personality'). This article explores both dimensions of modern journalism with a Weberian lens and intends to contribute to a renewed sociology of journalism. The history of journalistic bylines is used as a case study to illustrate the dynamics of 'personality' and 'anonymity' that lies at the heart of journalism and that every journalist as pariah has to address. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weber's journalistic activity is considered in its own right and common themes are brought out from his involvement in the mass media. The role of the mass media in 'Politics as a Vocation' and in Weber's proposed sociology of the press is analysed. There is a dialectic specific to the media and modernity and its key feature is anonymisation. Capitalist newspapers tend to depoliticisation and journalists are no allowed to use their own names, leading to a failure of journalist judgement detrimental to democratic discussion. Weber in outlining his press enquiry highlighted the interaction between the press as an objective component of culture and its influence on the subjective personality of modern man. Weber's enquiry anticipates the later sociology of the press in America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]