Student Zone

In order to avoid perpetuating the more undesirable aspects of the current media while contending with market pressures and a rapidly changing media frontier, a journalist’s best option is to focus on being engaging while being informative.

There are several ways that a journalist can present information in a way that will interest the public. Since stories that accomplish this goal are not easy to write and must be carefully crafted, the issue of time is one obstacle journalists face. This includes the usual deadlines, as well as current trends toward putting more stories in a limited space. In particular, the book mentions that the issue of time can be a problem because it can take a journalist time to fully understand an issue. The more a journalist knows an issue, the more informative the story will be. Instantly, Roxane Assaf, one of our guest speakers, came to mind. She has written several articles about the Palestine-Israel conflict. She was able to actually live in the area for a year, where she was able to take the time to fully understand what was going on. Therefore, she is able to report her experience with a personal, first-hand point of view that is very engaging, while at the same time, backing up her story with factual information. This is an example of “storytelling with a purpose.”

The book lists some additional suggestions for engaging while informing. The first suggestion is to consider the audience. By focusing on the needs of the intended audience, a journalist is practicing the second element of fiction, “Its first loyalty is to citizens.” From there, different techniques can be used to pull the reader in, such as implementing a “reveal,” using a slightly more narrative writing style, or a less-traditional story structure.

Finally, the book gives us the last element of journalism: “Journalists have an obligation to personal conscience.” Journalists must have “a personal sense of ethics and responsibility.”
However, feeling a sense of responsibility is not enough. A journalist must also have the ability to express their feelings and stand up for what they think is right. I feel that this is actually one of the most important elements of journalism, because if journalists are truly acting on their conscience, all of the other elements of journalism will fall into place.

A journalist owes a responsibility to the public interest- this fundamental principle has deteriorated in recent times with mergers consolodating news outlets, leaving behind the "public forum" based in news-gathering for dramatic shouting matches , a part of "'the Argument Culture,' which has functioned as an aphrodesiac for communications companies in their quest from audience and profitability." p140

Many Media Corporations are now focusing more on the delivery of news than the verification, or news gathering process- as a result we see a rise in commentary programs that often contain false information, sending the industry into a downward ethical spiral.

The question asked here is one that is increasingly difficult to answer, given the hyperbole of journalistic ethics in the industry- amongst the highest rated news programs are those that habitually misinform the public, the strongest example being the cable network MSNBC or FOX.

I beleive that a journalist can be independent and engaging by adapting to new media, and analyzing and understanding the interest of the target audience- the Media Corporations do this to adress their marketting needs, but the journalist must do this solely to serve the public interest of this audience. Unfortunately, we are at a time in the US when working for the Mega-Media Corporations can itself be a significant compromise of independence.

I think that part of the forementioned adaptation of new forms of media means that the journalist must try to no longer depend solely on these companies for news-gathering. New technologies offer creative solutions for journalists- and opportunities to actually engage the public, the audience in the news-gathering process in a way never before possible. The use of blogs has become a haven for many independent journalists, some with audiences numbering tens of thousands. Technology such as blogs and streaming audio & video makes for a diversity of media content that is targetted, and often more independent.

Mega-Media Corporations are creating a massive distance between journalists and the public (and inevitably their interest). The journalist must not try to beat them at this game, but take a more novel approach- "public journalism", engagement in the most literal sense. The concerned jouranist and the concerned citizen can and are being drawn closer together through the diversity of new media, and this is something that must be harnessed. Journalists need to come together through their networks and build infrastructure that is economically sustainable, channeling the spark of interest in independent media into a viable alternative, one that is inclusive and participatory.

After all, if we can assume that there is indeed an "instinct of awareness"- how long can the public remain interested in institutions that defeat the very concept of journalism and leave viewers misinformed? The long-term answer isn't two syllable headlines or gossip- it is regaining the trust of a public that has been betrayed.

Journalists have a responsibility to make news interesting. However, the news should be useful information, and not just what people want. For example, the Author of element states that "The New York Daily News excels in sports reporting, entertaining photographs, and gossip columns, but competes fiercely to inform its readers of miscarriages of justice or government programs and failures." Most people want both news and engagement. A journalist should give people the news that they need, but make it so that their viewers will want to hear the information. Doing this should not take away or overexaggerate the truth as to hurt the credibility of the organization. Also, it is important to not give people only entertainment, because people who expect news will be driven away, and go to a source that will give them better coverage on more serious issues. It is also important for a journalist to be independant yet conscience. All journalist should have a personal sense of ethics and responsibility, which also falls under giving the people the news they need and not just entertainment. If a journalist feels a certain story is racist, sexist or just plain unfair, they should bring it to the editor's attention. An example of this, is in an NBC segment titled "Waiting to Explode". NBC alleged that gas tanks in General Motor trucks ignite in crashes but NBC rigged the crash test to be more dramatic. The correspondant Michelle Gillen questioned the editor, but still went ahead and did the piece. In the end the rigged explosions were an embarrassement to NBC. In short, giving useful but engaged news, and questioning the moral ethics of a story, will only help the integrity and profitability of your news organization.

Journalism Being Independent and Engaging

Journalist have a duty to make their stories "relevant and significant". So how does a journalist go about this process. "Elements of Journalism" pointed out how some have tried surveys to reach audience, but even surveys have their failures. To deal with real world issues is not so much in a survey as it is in the observing of what is going on in people's communities whether it be their work environment, children's schools, or just around the neighborhood. Because so many journalist have to go under guidelines of reporting their stories to fit into this neat time frame, they often omit the stories that audiences are intrigued with. With journalism becoming so redundant and a money-saver, it is hard to receive stories that are truly engaging. As Kovach pointed out their has been a turn of the tables with television programmings using headline stories to inform viewers, while the news are using entertainment stories. If journalist seek independence reports they must remember to disconnect their biases as much as possible from their reportings, but to remain engaging they must connect themselves in a way that their viewers would want to stay tuned. When a journalist report their news they must find a balance of what occurs in their viewers' environment. They must remain focus that they have a broader audience. The business side of them as "Elements of Journalism" informs is that they are to pick a target age for example 18-49 and everyone in that category would want to hear the same thing. However, journalist omit people outside of this group leaving them uninterested. Reporting a one-sided story would make anyone loose interest. One thing journalist should be aware of is not to dwell on telling their reportings as if life is a constant dramatization. With the bad comes good and to tell both sides of the story will hold viewers' attention. "Elements of Journalism" told the example of how one reporter was protesting pro-choice publicly with a rally, however this caused conflict with her job. Not to say she could not have her opinions on the subject, but journalist should remember that the public see them as their public voices. To choose one side or to inflate one side more than the other leaves a portion of the public feeling misrepresented. A journalist must keep in mind they have an obligation to their viewers not to enhance one side without giving the same fair treatment to the other. To sum this up completely, a journalist has to remain "loyal to the citizens" on both sides of an issue and relate it to the events occuring in their lives.