JSON question: Variable set inside results is not defined for use outside JSON call

[$var]

Hi, I've got this:

                 var noteCount = "";
                 jsonRequest('media.getFiles', params,
		    function(result)     {  noteCount = result['totalCount']},
		    function(exception)  { noteCount = "0"},
		    true
		  );

The console returns results['totalCount'] with a value of 2 (that's correct).

When I call noteCount for display, it shows nothing. Neither the var set by result or exception.

Is this expected behaviour?