Well...to answer that question, we must ask ourselves, what is journalism? Because, in truth, a journalist is someone who does journalism, right? So what is journalism?
Journalism is, in my opinion, the act of finding and sharing information. Good journalism is making sure that information actually does some good in the world. Whether that information helps cheer a heart that is down or alerts the public to issues that need resolution, journalism plays an important role in the world of democracy. Without the sharing of information, tyranny and ignorance reign free with no resistance. The people can't fight what they can't see. It's the purpose of journalism to spread the light of knowledge to the people so they can make informed decisions.
We discussed this ever present question in great detail in class. Many people voiced the opinion that it is a journalist's duty to watch the government. Government is so evil these days so they obviously need to be watched. My take on this goes something to this effect: I don't think the government is our biggest problem. I do agree that part of a journalist's duty is to watch the government and report on what our elected officials are doing with our trust and tax dollars, but I also believe that journalists play a large role on the unity of our individual and global communities.
Through shared information, we can come together under common goals. People everywhere are born with, what our book calls, the Awareness Instinct. Human beings instinctively want to know what is going on. It's a survival trait, I imagine. When we know what is going on, we feel secure. We are able to plan our next move based on what is happening. So we barter our knowledge for the knowledge of our neighbor, creating a network of knowledge. We begin to rely on each other to feed our desire for knowledge. Journalism is a life dedicated to obtaining and sharing a great amount of knowledge.
Now, the world of exchanging knowledge is changing, rapidly. People are finding more and more of their information online through social media and Google searches. The question I pose is, who is controlling and expediting the process of transferring information? Who is helping the public sift through the growing sea of information? That, my friends, is the new face of journalism.
Many people are worried about the fate of journalism. They fear the career is dying out. I have hope for it though. It may not be as traditional anymore, but it needn't die out. Journalism is an ever changing profession. There is a reason people aren't required to be certified or licensed to be considered a journalist. In the early age of the press, the journalist was the informant, or watchdog. Now the journalist is the forum leader or mediator in a massive online discussion.
It is also a journalist's job to point out the important issues; issues that need to be resolved in a timely manner. We discussed a lot about giving a voice to the voiceless. In a world where the voice of the minority is growing increasingly louder, especially revolving around religion, the society of journalists need to keep a balance between the ever expanding outcry of the injustly dealt with minority and the swiftly quieting majority. Every respectful voice deserves to be heard equally. It is the journalist's duty to make that happen.
So now I ask this question to you, what is a journalist? What is journalism? Do we, who wish to join the society of journalists, need to fear we have simply been born in the wrong age? Who will organize and simplify the exchange of information in the growing pool of knowledge and ideas? Discuss amongst yourselves. Post commentary! Let us discuss and reason together.
Agreed. I especially like the point you made about Awareness Instinct. However, I do argue that the government is a larger problem than you gave it credit for in this article. I think another role journalists play in government is to explain to the masses the technical lingo of bills. We read the actual healthcare bill that was passed through Congress in my Mass Communications Law class, and I didn't understand a word of it. After reading it, my professor had us research articles explaining it. By the next class, it's amazing how much more we understood as a class.
ReplyDeleteThey call the media the Fourth Estate of government. We are yet another check that balances the distribution of power in our society. The question that concerns me as a journalist is how does the media check things that we can't see? Things like plea deals for reduced sentences are hidden from everyone, and that's a part of our judiciary system. How are we supposed to do our jobs if we can't see what's going on? There are plenty of shady dealings in government and big business that could possibly be brought to light if journalists were able to get into more areas.
That is a very good point. I hadn't taken into the consideration the darker corners of government that are often overlooked. I suppose that just goes to further your point, that journalists should be allowed into more areas. So why aren't we allowed into more areas? People don't often like to own up to their mistakes. They will do the best they can to keep it under wraps. So what do we do to access those deeper corners and hidden closets of information?
ReplyDeleteI think we need more journalists. Budget cuts and the state of the economy have caused everyone to downsize. There aren't nearly as many reporters poking their noses into things as there used to be. Each station used to have a team of journalists at the capital checking up on things. Now they either have a single reporter looking at everything in DC, or they let their parent network take care of it. The more people there are looking for things, the more likely they are to find them. Our problem is that no one has the money to pay those people anymore. Maybe with the economy climbing back to a healthy state, we'll be able to do that again.
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