Dear Society, Please Stop Bashing Journalists For EVERYTHING
Start writing a post
Student Life

Dear Society, Please Stop Bashing Journalists For EVERYTHING

No, it's actually not all "fake news."

99
Dear Society, Please Stop Bashing Journalists For EVERYTHING
Wikmedia

"That's fake news."

"These journalists are so biased, I hate how far left the media is."

"I don't trust mainstream media, I get all of my news from social media."

I have heard these snip-its of conversation countless times. As I further my education as a future journalist, these comments have started to have an impact on me more and more.

I have watched Trump bash the media endlessly in tweets and have read the replies of people in agreement. My first thought was, "I'm going into the most hated career in the U.S. right now..."

But that thought was followed by a more powerful one and here it is: I want to change people's opinion on the media.

Today, people believe that large media enterprises are out to make money first and provide quality reporting second. In some cases, this is true, but it is not in most cases. Trump continually refers to The New York Times as "failing" and "fake news." But is it really?

I am currently taking a journalism class in which we have to stay very aware of breaking news and current events, locally as well as nationally. News has always been a passion of mine, but I never truly realized how much more is out there when you actually go to the websites of papers like The New York Times or The Washington Post. The little articles we see on social media? Those are small pieces of a large entity.

The biggest place journalists get a bad reputation is mainstream media. I recently saw a post complaining that news entities are still reporting on the tension of Confederate statues while there is a very severe natural disaster unfolding in Texas and the individual was complaining how awful that was. Let me enlighten you on what future journalists are being taught so maybe you will understand why news is reported the way it is.

A novel that I had to read last year for a journalism class was Kovach and Rosentiel's "The Elements of Journalism."They stated that "Journalism's first obligation is to the truth." Journalists report the truth regardless of what people like hearing. There are also three metaphors they wrote about in their book that the press identifies themselves with that I think are extremely important for the public to understand:

1. The press is a watchdog, meaning they are supposed to bark at the big guys in power (the government) when things aren't right. We are there to protect the interest of the little guy, or citizens.

2. The press is a marketplace, meaning they are to report on a wide variety of topics and ideas, regardless of popularity or majority agreement.

3. And finally, the press is a mirror, meaning they REFLECT what is happening in society for all to see.

Personally, I think that last point is the most important. People get angry over things happening in the world and get mad at media for the stories when they are simply doing their job of reporting. Is the article you hate really "fake news" or is it simply something you disagree with? Just because you are in disagreement does not change the facts. Yes, they are reporting on events other than Harvey. Why? Because people still need to stay informed about what is going on in the world around them.

Of course, there are opinion columns and talk shows and places where journalists do share their own biases and thoughts. That is the beauty of our First Amendment right. But not every news entity shares their opinion and every journalist is trained to report straight facts without a one-sided feel to the article.

Let me leave you with this. If we did not have the media, how would we know things? How would we know about the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey and which charities are best to donate to? How would we know which presidential candidate we would like to vote for? How would we know about anything going on in the world around us?

The answer is simple: We wouldn't have a clue. Journalists and the press are necessary to our society to string along the flow of news and without media, our world would be completely different.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58397
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37620
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959224
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

193556
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments