Galina

The issues of Journalism:

Blog 4 Mass Communications

 

            What is Journalism? Journalism is information, reported verbally or written on events, issues, or views.  This information is conveyed to audiences around the world.  Modern journalism’s purpose is to provide information that allows people to make intelligent decisions about events and issues of the day.  Today we have abandoned that principle.  That seems like a pretty important principle to abandon.  There are some that say that there is just too much information to report.  This may be partially true but it does not explain the entire problem.  Today’s journalists face many problems when attempting to produce pertinent, reliable unbiased information to their audiences. of their own. Not only are there massive amounts of material and information available to all of us the decent journalist has to decide what is important and what is not.  It is not that the amount of information is overwhelming to the audience it is overwhelming to the journalist.

The Journalist not only has to determine what to report but they have to decide who their audience is and what information they need.  Unfortunately Journalist competes for audiences and readers.  Their pieces should not only be relevant to their audience but well written or reported verbally.  The audience requires a reason to read or listen to a journalists report. There is a temptation for the Journalist to measure the entertainment component rather than concentrating on the accuracy and newsworthiness of the piece.  It is because of all of these things that the journalist has such a difficult job.  It is also the reason that Journalism’s primary purpose is no longer to assist the journalism consumer in making decisions. Journalism is a tool and has been a tool that has been used for centuries. However, today, technology brings news almost in real time because of the immediacy of the news journalism and journalists must change to keep up with technology.  It is hard to check facts quickly enough with the pressure of the deadline looming.  

The way that our news is being written is influenced by the new technology available to the media.  Newspapers, Articles, and reports are being set into computerized systems. The old traditions of the reporter who chases down leads on foot are fading as time passes and technology continues to grow.

            The concerns about journalism and its future is discussed  In the film, Part One: Inside The New York Times, an American documentary which gives details explaining the struggles regarding change and the difficulties the media is having with the change.  Modern Journalism now has modified their primary goal to, presenting the news for the good of the public as well as informing the public of important events.  The Journalists position should be to select and develop sources such as: News stories with timeliness and accuracy.  Journalists are expected to write well organized well thought out pieces on a news situations. The goal is to meet the expectations of the audience by delivering a detailed story line. The journalist should also identify critical issues that affect   Journalism and a journalist, The New York Times, reported this documentary, and indicates that Newspapers are disappearing slowing with other types of media taking its place.

 Journalism is changing the internet may take the place of the written newspaper.  This may be the cause of journalists losing their jobs. However we will still receive the News but it will be delivered to through another medium. This medium will still be responsible for presenting to us what Journalists have gathered and written about the world around us.