What is Journalism? Who is a Journalist?
Journalism is the dissemination of information to the masses. It is timely, accurate information that has value to society. Generally speaking, Journalism must meet certain requirements. It must be fact checked, neutral, and truthful. Citizen journalism is another matter entirely because citizens are not obliged to abide by high standards of journalism. Journalism acts as a watchdog on society. A free press or unfettered journalism is a key component of democracy. Journalism today connects the entire world instantaneously. Journalism provides the people with the information required to be aware of the world around them and to make informed decisions. Journalism is an art form. It is a medium unlike any other kind of writing and there are rules that must be followed. Journalism is writing with the purpose to inform by raising awareness of issues and with the result of connecting society on all levels.
Journalists are those who take it upon themselves to investigate truth and report it. Journalists follow a code of ethics. A strict ethical code is what makes paid journalists a higher authority than citizen journalists. With our technology, anyone can publish anything. A citizen can contribute to the wealth of information at our fingertips. But a Journalist is required to be accurate and truthful. It is their duty to do the research and to provide reports to the public which the people are able to understand. Journalists must not necessarily be smarter than the general public, but they certainly must be knowledgeable on a plethora of subjects because Journalists are the middle men. It is their duty to discover information from experts and witnesses and to present the information to the public in a way that is easy to understand and that connects the audience to the issue.
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