Truth and Journalism, Presses and Democracy

Journalism is not the same as truth.

What?!

I know, I know, it was a shock to me too. For years, numerous comms classes have drilled in my brain that the most important element of journalism is truth - but what I didn't realize is that truth, in fact, is not journalism. Indeed the discussion of journalistic objectivity has become a trap, and as the book says, "the term has become so misunderstood and battered."

While I believe journalists should be as objective as possible, it is rarely possible to report a story free of bias. Depending on the intent of the reporter, I don't necessarily think that a reporter's subjectivity is a negative thing. If journalists were too cautious about reporting strict "truth", society would never get any real information. Journalists give stories a personal perspective, informing us and letting us have insight to things we weren't able to experience ourselves. As Bill Keller said, "We strive for coverage that aims as much as possible to present the reader with enough information to make up his or her own mind. That's our fine ideal."

How lucky are we to live in the United States of America, where we have a right to free speech?? The U.S. liberal model of media allows us to be watchdogs of society. I believe this is incredibly important in keeping the government in check. The right to free speech secures as a nation of the people. We have a variety of liberal and conservative news to choose from. I think that in other places around the world where government controls speech, those people are at a disadvantage of being heard, and being heard objectively.

In reading more about the different models of journalism, I came across this article that I found quite interesting regarding the "convergence hypothesis": http://jou.sagepub.com/content/10/3/332.extract

New Media and Journalism

I'm a social media junkie. No, not just because I melt my brain away as a pro Facebook stalker, or make reading Justin Bieber's tweets part of my daily routine. I love social media because I believe it provides an incredible advantage to our generation. It allows us to create networks and communities of people in a world where it's not just what you know--it's who you know. Social media creates and maintains connections. It gives us access to a plethora of information that we didn't have before, changing the face of journalism.

In the delivery of news, there's no doubt that social media is revolutionizing how we get our information about the world. There is a decreasing need/want for traditional newspapers and broadcast television, and an increasing demand for interactive technology. Facebook, Youtube, blogs, and other online media are referred to more than ever as a source of information. But will journalists still be needed? I think so. While new media is convenient and prevalent, it is not always trusted. I believe people will still turn to professionals to get the truth--even if old platforms are dead. There's too much information out in cyberspace to try and discern what's true and what's not. Society will still turn to journalists as an ultimate source of credibility. While platforms may change, the role of a reporter does not. No matter the medium, reporters will continute to collect, condense, and display information.

When social media didn't exist, it was much easier for professional journalists and businesses to get away with false information. Now that society can interact through the internet as watchdogs, journalists and businesses are forced to give credible information because others can call them out in public commentary. I think social media in a sense makes reporters better. They work harder to get the truth. Zia Yusef, executive VP for SAP's global ecosystem and partner group said, “You will make mistakes. If you are sincere about helping the community, the authenticity will show and your mistakes will be forgiven.”

While citizen journalism has the potential to be a positive thing, it also has it's negative aspects. Group 2 described this well, explaining that citizen journalism offers advantages of more coverage, deep and intimate coverage, and a subjective viewpoint, while disadvantages include information overload, information triaging, and a lack of ethical and professional objectivity.

I also really enjoyed this "Social Media Revolution" clip presented by group 2. It illustrated a lot of eye-opening insights about social media:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZ0z5Fm-Ng

What is journalism? What is the purpose of a journalist?

While "journalism" is defined in the dictionary as simply, "the activity or profession of writing for newspapers or magazines or of broadcasting news on radio or television", the term, in fact, holds so much more significance than just a job.

Journalism holds a plethora of meanings and purposes to people across the globe. In today's world, journalism is an ever-changing phenomenon of not only television, newspapers, and radio, but texts, blogs, social media, and the internet in general. To me, journalism is the process of gathering information and sharing it with others. It connects people to the rest of the world and provides a human need to "know". Journalism remedies people of ignorance. It gives a voice to the voiceless. It inspires people to fight for freedom.

The duty of a journalist is to seek the truth and report it; to find interesting stories that others find meaningful and beneficial. A journalist's loyalty belongs to citizens, and doesn't tell them how to think but what to think about in an objective manner. "The Elements of Journalism" describes a journalist's obligations well, listing:

• Journalism's first obligation is to the truth
• Its first loyalty is to its citizens
• Its essence is a discipline of verification
• Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover
• It must serve as an independent monitor of power
• It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise
• It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant
• It must keep the news comprehensive and in proportion
• Its practitioners have an obligation to exercise their personal conscience
• Citizens, too, have rights and responsibilities when it comes to the news

As a broadcast journalism major, I hope I can strive to abide by these elements in my work as a journalist!