The value of journalism in a democracy
The media serves as a constant stream of information for the people. The goal is to keep the masses informed about things that may affect them and others around them.
In the past, the media, journalism, in particular, has been used to expose corruption and shine a light on those in need. For instance, when President Nixon and his administration created a political scandal by abusing their power to keep Nixon in office the media was there to shine a light on their transgressions.
Ultimately, the media helped to hold those apart of the Watergate scandal accountable. Once again showing that no one is above the law. However, in today’s climate, the news is either being ignored or dismissed as false and politically motivated.
This notion that the news isn’t trustworthy or important is problematic because the news allows the people to be in the loop of what’s happening in the world. Without that unbiased information, people aren’t given the chance to formulate their own world view and determine what they choose to believe and believe in.
Instead of doing their own research and seeking out news that is objective, people decide to distrust all news and put their trust in public officials or biased networks that are not held to the same standards as the news.
Every day there is some new information that will affect society in some way and putting one’s faith in a public official means they have the power to control what news the public knows. They are given the power to shape the news into whatever benefits them the most.
Unlike public figures, journalists have nothing to gain by hiding the truth.
“There can be no higher law in journalism than, to tell the truth, and to shame the devil”.- Walter Lippmann
Consider natural disasters. Before the media existed, they would blindside the people of an area but with the media and the news, people are able to protect and prepare for such events. This also applies to crimes near them, politics, the economy, international affairs, and lots of other important topics.
This is extremely relevant to society at the moment. With the coronavirus outbreak and the shutting down of states to flatten the curve, the news has been more necessary than ever. The news keeps people informed about the spread of the virus, the safety precautions to take, and tells them whether their state is still on lockdown.
Before the coronavirus became a worldwide outbreak, political figures and biased networks attempted to diminish the threat of it. They’d do this by comparing it to the flu and claiming that the number of cases was lower than it actually was.
This was a classic case of public figures using their platform to control the information that the people get; spinning the narrative to put themselves in the best light.
The importance of this news is shown in the film “Spotlight” about the covering up of child abuse within the Catholic Church. Priests suspected of sexually abusing children were members of the community. One of the priests shown in the film lived around children which meant neighborhood kids were in danger and because the church used their power to hide those transgressions the people had no idea. When the articles exposing the scandal came out the people were blindsided but also able to protect their children from possible predators.
An unspoken part of the first amendment is that with the information people receive from free speech everyone is given the chance to make their own informed opinions and judgments about what’s going on in the world.
The news allows people to exercise that right and it should not be taken for granted.
