Group Presentation: What is Journalism?

I think Group 1 did an excellent job of presenting the information from the texts and of engaging the class. There were discussions, games, and even treats. It was, in all respects, a success.

Discussion always fosters understanding so it was really great to be able to share ideas with the whole class. It makes the text so much more relevant when we can bring it to our level and see how it directly connects to us.

The video clips of newscasters fumbling over words and buckets of grapes is highly entertaining, and it really makes one consider how easy it is to mess up Big Time on air... probably makes me more nervous because I want to go into Broadcasting:]

The games were excellent: simple and to the point. I loved how in Heads Up 7-Up the media were made to be society's helpers in making decisions. Journalists are truly the connectors of society--our purpose is to provide accessible information to the public because they have not the time neither the means to investigate and validate reports on current events.

The activity with the candy and the two bowls struck a chord with me. Recently I've been trying to reconcile within myself how we as journalists should go about reporting/making news. We can try to be all holier-than-thou and attempt to run a news corporation on purely journalistic means, but the hard cold reality of the business is just that--it's a business. News, is a business. It is hugely important and vital to be honest and to have integrity in our journalistic practices, but we also must stay in business which can and does often translate into choosing stories which will appeal to our audience and thus increase advertising revenue. (Geneva Overholser maintains the more traditional way of thinking, however. She advocates a new model).

The concept of the interlocking public fascinates me. I believe it will really help to keep in mind those three audiences as I write news stories in the future. My goal will be to sound intelligent to the involved public, engage the interested, and to get the uninterested interested.

Maybe I'm selfish for wanting to be a journalist. Yes, providing pertinent information to the public is awesome, as is protecting the freedom of the press; but I could let someone else fight those battles if I didn't have other motivations. I want to be a journalist because I think it's fascinating and fun. I want to be a journalist because journalism satisfies a need--the need and desire everyone has for information--the Awareness Instinct. I want to be a journalist because it's important and gratifying, that my talents and skills can bring people reliable information in order for them to remain free and self-governing.