What is Journalism? All about Journalism and the Jazz

A senior executive of English newspaper The Morung Express who participated in an exposition in Northern Ireland on Journalism recently narrated to me a starkly fascinating anecdote: Celebrated reporter Eammon Mallie dared the gathered journalists with a query. “Why do people become Journalists?”

In response to the query you could almost hear unabashed and unworried answers leap from the Journalists’ thoughts:

‘Fight corrupt governments’

‘Encourage citizenship’

‘Be the voice of the people’

‘Be the ultimate microphone for Freedom of Speech’

‘Change the world’

‘Block Climate Change’

‘Impress that gorgeous girl next door’

‘Stir dad into buying you that swanky Chevrolet in Dimapur and etcetera and etcetera.

None so.

So why do people become journalists?

“Vanity. Vanity. Vanity!” Eammon Mallie thundered to the stunned Journalists.

I believe that the gathering had an answer far more surprisingly Utopian than what Ms. Mallie fished out for them.

Before defining Journalism, here is an Assessment

Today, Journalism – the print, broadcast and online – is among the world’s more celebrated (if ‘dirty’) careers especially for the educated young. Why so? A few reasons:

• The prestige and the romance of fame and grind
• High earning and career-growth factor
• The opportunities and dangers (depending on how willing you are at risking your bottom on the frying pan),
• High-competition and thrust for excellence and competition,
• Career challenges that could span from big scoops to bigger trouble and yes a comparatively high earning index when put to contrast with other “non-economic” careers   

No wonder, Eammon Mallie declared ‘Vanity, Vanity, Vanity!’ as the sole reason why people ‘become Journalists.’ The exchange of placements and employment in journalism count by the thousands for major newspapers, broadcast and the online news corporate every year. Thousands of the young are opting for Journalism as a career for or either of, two basic reasons: (a) a passion to work for the people and society and (b) high earning and the fame-factor.

The People & Society Factor:

Do you wonder why Journalism sits in the same front row of chairs with Democracy, Liberty and Freedom and Nation-Building? Even one with the IQ of a cabbage knows that enlightened society has pinned prestige on journalists for that their role largely encompasses the universal pursuits for positive change, nation-building; peace and growth; the universal aspirations for a progressive humanity. And I say so without pride. Probably.

The stuff Journalism is made up of

Volumes and library-thick discourses throughout history offer a good idea on what characterizes journalism, and the role of journalists. Personally, I love what the feisty Nagaland Page’s chief Monalisa Changkija – during an interaction years ago – said of journalism: Old-school journalism – Just to speak the truth.

Considering the immutable changes in value-moderation contemporary journalism has undergone, ‘truth’ today almost sounds a feeble defense to shut up the proletarian purists and fed the socialist-tweaking elitist. Global economic compulsions and handy socio-political tensions storming the advent of the 21st century have forced new paradigms in value-moderation. But the reality remains that truth is just plain truth. Nothing else.

The intrinsic values of the very purpose of journalism are summed up in The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel. The book is considered the one authority for reference for all aspiring journalists – with a reminder that all journalists are humans; and so, are essentially biased. The Elements of Journalism lists a number of imperatives that represent the very spirit of Journalism, its purpose and goal. These elements are not necessarily exceptions nor are they rules unto themselves. They are more of a rationalization of the paradigms, I believe, that completely represent the central tenets of purpose, rather than intent. They are pragmatic standards for newsmen I say. 

The elements say that:

(a)    The first contract of Journalism and Journalists is with Truth

(b)   Their first loyalty is to the Citizen and to Citizenry

(c)    Journalists are independent, and must maintain independence from any influence, individual, organization or government

(d)   Journalism is independent check-and-balance, the monitor

(e)    Journalism should provide the public a platform to opine and criticize

(f)    Journalists must be allowed to exercise personal conscience (I believe this element supplements point ‘e’ by principle and not merely complement it).

So what is Journalism?

For the sake of sparing my readers the burden having to dissect pompous explanation here is Journalism:
 

Broadly speaking, Journalism refers to the work of a Journalist working with a news organization in disseminating and informing the public on current events, issues and trends. It refers to the activity or profession of writing for newspapers or magazines or of broadcasting news on radio or television, to be disseminated as information for the public.

Broadly speaking again - the role of Journalism as I understand from industry trends and societal thought processes - the profession plays three significant roles. Role as

(i)                 An Interpreter

(ii)               An Evaluator and

(iii)             A 'Disseminator'

In its more predisposed role as an independent monitor, Journalism offers ‘choices’ to the citizenry; journalists write, evaluate and comment on relevant issues and events for the public. 

Al Ngullie
The Morung Express, India

©2012 Journalism Jobs Guide
 
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