Dr. Cressman, professor of Communications, assigned us to read a chapter from Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel’s novel The Elements of Journalism. In the first chapter, it posed what seemed to be a simple question, “what is the purpose of journalism?” Seems like a question that can be easily answered on Wikipedia or Cha-Cha. I thought that I as read the chapter it would confirm my idea of journalism. Rather than having my thoughts reaffirmed, new insights were added to my understanding of journalism. Now this is not a book review but an evaluation on what is journalism and who is considered to be a journalist.
Journalism, what is journalism? According to Wikipedia, journalism is considered to be “the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues, and trends to a broad audience . . . the ideal is to inform the citizenry.” However, journalism is more than just gathering information and informing the public of current events. It is the presentation of information to citizens so that they can become free and self-governing individuals. How is this possible? In The Elements of Journalism, they list the elements of journalism. The elements of journalism reiterate why journalism “provide[s] citizens information they need to be free and self-governing.”
Journalism informs citizens of important events to serve their general welfare. Part of that general welfare is freedom and self-governance. Journalists strive to provide those values for its citizens because journalism’s first loyalty is its citizens. The idea of journalism often coincides with the idea of democracy. Democracy was born because individuals wanted to protect the rights of the others living in their community. Journalism was born because individuals wanted to uphold citizens’ rights on knowing what is happening in the world. Those who tried to limit democracy, tried to limit the press as well. Journalism serves an audience, a community, the whole rather than an individual. Journalism is concerned for the people’s rights and liberties. If journalism was not based on a community goal, it would be known as its antithesis: propaganda.
Now that journalism has been “better” defined, this brings up another concern. Who is a journalist? On paper, journalists are people who have degrees in mass communications and work for a newspaper agency or television station. However, with the rise of citizen journalism, many believe that credentials are useless. With advances in technology, such as social networking and blogging, it has become so easy to report what’s happening around one’s surroundings. People have become their own “reporter.” Some see this as revolutionary and brilliant while others see it as a threat. Citizen journalism has not only become a concern to those who have the title “journalist” but citizens who search for the truth. There are multiple voices that it’s hard to distinguish who is right.
However, citizen journalism strengthened journalists’ purpose in the world. Journalists, for a while, served as the gatekeepers of what should be revealed to the public. Due to advances in technology, the role of a gatekeeper no longer became the main job of journalist. Now, journalists serve as the mediator of all the noise and confusion in the media put out by amateurs and biased sources. Despite citizen journalists on the rise, journalists have come out stronger because they verify statements and will only put out what is true. Before putting out a story, journalists confirm their sources to ensure credibility and trust with the public. A journalist is one who seeks out the truth while leaving behind biases of any nature. While many voices are being heard through television, newspapers, and the internet, a true journalist puts away biases and presents the truth for all to hear.
Many today, continue to argue and challenge each other on what is journalism and who is a journalist. While this debate may continue to have no end, two ideas can be agreed upon:
· Journalism is the search for truth to provide the public what to think rather than how to think.
· Journalists not only inform but clarify and make order out of all the noise that’s going on.
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