Before I began my career in journalism, my parents warned me about watching, listening to or reading the news mainly due to the amount of violence it usually contained. Was this a good idea? I'd like to think so, considering I was very young and didn't understand much of what was going on in the world. But what about now? Many people are flocking to media outlets for every piece of information; this also means political information.
The term "informed citizen" is probably the most relative aspect to the media because it represents the people who actually are aware of what is going on in the world every day. It is now even easier for everyone to be more informed, due to the media's integration with social media and other convenient outlets. The convenience to the public is the media's main concern because, without any convenience, there would less of an effort made by the public to keep themselves informed of most current issues.
There are many benefits to being an informed citizen and these are some of the most important and probably most influential as to why someone would choose to be an informed citizen. The most common benefit that many people enjoy is the comfort of being informed of worldwide events 24/7. This is an appeal to many people because it gives them the notion that they have power, knowing that they know more than what some other people may know. The second common part of being an informed citizen is the fact that you have the inside scoop on everything. You may be one of the first people to know something important going on in the world and who can educate others about it. These benefits give people a sense of power which can help them to become more knowledgeable about their own self-interests.
The benefits of the media have increased as it's convenience increased but lately, the media has been criticized for its lack of objectivity and not being non-partisan. The media is always being criticized, but as it is criticized it will improve. There will always be a need for improvement in the media because it acts as the watchdog of the world reporting the things that need to be reported because they are important. Going into the media career field as a journalist, I can say that the news has provided me with a lot of facts that are important in everyday life. The media has, and will always be, an important part of everyday life. As a future reporter, I can confirm that it will allow citizens to stay informed.
