The purpose of media in society
Over 40 years ago, Richard Nixon tenuously changed the modern presidency. During previous administrations, the American news media had always been referenced as “the press.” Nixon, whose shaky relationship with the nation’s newsrooms was longstanding, tweaked the policy and began labeling the press as “the media,” a term he felt would sound more portentous and less affirmative.
The Watergate scandal and the child sex abuse cases in Boston, Mass. were both stories that no one wanted to hear but needed to know. The media coverage of these two cases is a significant aspect of the academic literature of journalism.
In the United States, child sex abuse acts took place as early as the 1970s and continued for decades. However, it was not until 2002 when the Boston Globe’s coverage of a series of criminal prosecutions of five Roman Catholic priests propelled the issue of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests into the national spotlight on an ongoing basis.
The results of the reporters published investigation was so momentous and compelling that they inspired a generation of journalists, not just to become reporters but to more strenuously embrace the role of a conscientious press within a free society.
For one, the observation of child abuse is a topic of such a high degree that must be followed closely by the media. With its terrible aftermath, releasing critical forms of this information brings along the efforts to identify and punish the perpetrators and its protectors.
In the past three decades, over 100 parishes in the Boston archdiocese have closed. The number of people seen in the pews at services has steadily declined, locally and nationally.
People argue that mass media campaigns and media coverage of the abuse and neglect of children perform a significant and essential role in placing issues such as child abuse on the political and public agenda. Media coverage of child sexual assault acts has contributed to reducing and demystifying the secrecy that has characteristically surrounded its occurrence.
Finally, it resonates because it’s a powerful reminder to upcoming and professional journalists to still make an everlasting impact, even in these times of consistent staff deficiencies and minimizing coverage. Journalists must always make an effect because if a story similar to this were not reported, then innocent people would be unaware of sinful misconduct.
What started as a small story ballooned into an event that changed American journalism history forever. The Watergate story was a major political scandal which led to a constitutional crisis and the resignation of former President Richard Nixon.
The tactics Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward used to doggedly follow the story are helpful for any aspiring journalist to grasp the concept of how far one person must go to obtain premiere success in the media world.
It is fascinating to think about the depth and thoroughness one much achieve in covering a vast and vital story. It was critical for Carl and Bob to continue to research more thoroughly and stay determined. It is intimidating for a young journalist even to consider covering such an important event in America.
During this early time, most of the media failed to grasp the full connotations of the scandal and instead concentrated reporting on other topics related to the 1972 presidential election. Most outlets ignored or downplayed Woodward and Bernstein’s findings. The crosstown Washington Star-News and the Los Angeles Times even conducted stories incorrectly discrediting The Washington Post’s articles.
Both cases have made a lot of people begin to think idealistically about their careers as professional journalists. Had these stories not been released to the public, us as citizens would still be living in a society fabricated by lies and hidden techniques created by our government.
