The term makes me think of a bulldog behind a chain link fence. With squinty eyes and a wrinkly face, the little beast never lets down his guard--anything coming into his territory sets him off in a symphony of barks.
Journalists are much the same. Anything that comes into our "territory" or the territory of society should cause us to raise our voice and inform the public. Journalists are monitors of society and are expected to look out for the best interest of the public.
The watchdog group gave us a handout with a quote I particularly like:
"The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government." -pg. 142 Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black
Watchdog journalism is a type of investigative journalism that keeps an eye on politicians and their actions and promises. If journalists especially don't find out what's true and false, who will? By asking the right questions and choosing the right stories, we have the potential to solve many potential and occurring problems (as was seen in the Pentagon Papers).
It is a journalists role to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, and in order to do that we need to be free to investigate important issues in our society.
Here is a video from the Associated Press on "how to do watchdog journalism":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxf90TXThY8
No comments:
Post a Comment