Journalism needs more critical thought in reporting today. People are fed information that is often false and rumors become news. Real stories fleshed out, sourced well and verified for accuracy before they are published. Practice the vital habits of democracy with the ability to follow an argument, grasp another viewpoint, expand the boundaries of understanding and debate the alternative purposes that may be pursued packed into a story for a public audience.
But with so much pressure from advertisers and owners of mass media publications and broadcast to tweak their message to suit their bottom line revenue, where is journalism headed?
In order to see the future, look at the past history of journalism from the introduction of the printing press to the mass production of newspaper and broadcast news to our current electronic communications technology reaching out globally with the click of a button.
Journalism has gone under heavy fire in the recent years with the print newspaper decline, sharp increase in jobs cuts for journalists, budgetary constraints due to lack of subscription dollars and the inability to adapt to a free-news-driven society. Advertising revenues have migrated to online ad placements making it difficult for traditional newspapers to survive.
The first half of 2009, more newspapers closed their doors and circulation dropped even lower forcing those newspapers still running to maximize their current staff in order to compensate the revenue decline. It is time for traditional media to fight in order to stay relevant in the growing digital age by partnering with other social media properties to gain a foothold for the future of journalism.
The hope of the journalists, despite the media form used, will never veer from grabbing the public’s attention to tell a story from beginning, middle to end while holding steadfast to the journalistic ideals with an obligation to the truth and the public’s right to know.
However, my role as a journalist is more than being able to tell a story. As a journalist, my first obligation is to the truth while maintaining a loyalty to the citizens with an essence in discipline of verification. I will sustain an independence from the stories I cover and serve as an impartial monitor of power. I will provide a forum for public criticism and compromise. I will strive to make the significant interesting and relevant while keeping the news comprehensive and proportional. I will exercise my personal conscience while upholding the rights and responsibilities of the citizens.
My feeling is that the journalism industry will come out ahead once it gains traction with new media. It’s a new and exciting time for journalists since it will be necessary to learn all aspects of reporting the news to become a one-person resource able to provide all the elements of a story to the people.
The unmet needs of tomorrow through text, audio, video and more means a journalist must be the eyes and ears of the community to provide the news people are talking about bringing to light issues that are voiced not only locally but globally. Being able to find the pulse of the public and what the people care about today. Leveraging the collective knowledge of the community to provide the most accurate and trusted information available.
My plan is to add to my journalism degree by completing the University of California Los Angeles film masters program, applying for a Fulbright Scholarship and become one of the journalism forerunners taking the craft into the new media realms of the future. I will strive to uphold the journalistic ideals and become world renown reliable journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner.
2023 Update: Sometimes dreams and goals have a way of falling in mid-flight. My mother’s health declined just weeks before class began at UCLA in 2015, just after writing this piece. Already moved in and settled in Santa Monica, my boxes were re-packed up and moved back east to care for her until her death. Life has a way of stepping in when you make big plans, this was no different.