The Importance of Journalism in the US today
In today’s society, news travels pretty quickly as most people are aware. But what makes that possible? Journalism, of course.
When someone first gets news of a major event that has happened in the world around them, the first thing most people do is either pick up their cell phone or turn on the news.
Due to the continual progression of technology and the undying will of journalists, people are able to stay in the know and stay up to date on all the most important news; whether it be politics, scientific discoveries, death or something as simple as celebrity gossip.
Without journalists, news would spread merely through word of mouth and casual conversation and, most likely, the story would lose important details along the way as pieces are left out and changed by each new person who is telling the story.
That is a journalists most important job- to make sure that the public is not only aware of the news, but to also ensure that the news they are receiving is correct.
In many cases, journalists are responsible for uncovering far more information on a story than was originally thought to be had and they are able to give out the most important details pertaining to a situation.
Journalism helps to ensure that important organizations, such as the government, stay in check as writers work tirelessly to get all of the facts and reveal situations that politicians often attempt to cover as they did in “All the President’s Men” portraying the Watergate scandal.
In cases such as the issues take took place within the Catholic church, the public is often aware of what is happening, however, not to the fullest extent as it is portrayed in the film “Spotlight”.
Situations, like the ones with the church, also lead to the rise of new and existing movements which empower large numbers of individuals to step out of their comfort zones and speak their truths by sharing their own personal stories.
Without journalism, individuals may never have met others who have shared similar experiences and never brought to light the experiences that they have had, good or bad.
Journalists work to bring people together. Whether they work in television broadcast, newspapers, social media or anything in between, they are responsible for getting information out as soon as possible which can sometimes range from seconds to even months and years.
Someone who works in journalism must be very thorough and give as many details as possible in order to leave as little room as possible for error and miscommunication. This is where months and years worth of research on a specific topic comes into play.
Because of the amount of time it can take to completely write an article, it takes someone who is truly dedicated to their job and love what they do. Those are the people who make the best journalists.
So although many may say that “journalism is dying” I feel like it is still just beginning and that it still has a long way to go.
