Breaking News Journalism Is Still Alive - 769 Words

Breaking News: Journalism is Still Alive Words can be powerful and heavy and most of all complicated. On the other hand, dictionaries cut everything short. The Merriam-Webster definition of journalism, for example, is especially simple and direct—the job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio. This definition fails to recognize though that just because something is written and published in a newspaper or on a news site does not mean that article falls into the realm of journalism. True journalism must follow certain rules like maintaining an independence from those they cover, having an obligation to the truth, and presenting the facts in a fair and balanced way. Most popular news†¦show more content†¦As Bill Kovach and Tom Rosentsiel write, â€Å"The purpose of journalism is not just to report but to create community. This involves creating channels, forums, and alliances, and helping connect people who are working on problems.† (Kovach, Bill, and Tom Rosenstiel. â€Å"Independence†.) Independence, open-mindedness, truth, and loyalty to readers and community are all the heart of true journalism. Unfortunately, with the term journalism skewed, sometimes good examples are hard to find. Although with some digging, there are news sources that adhere to journalistic ethics. Propublica, for example, is a nonprofit and independent news source that focuses on reporting facts. Their code of ethics is readily available on their website and clearly states the morals behind their company. By directly telling their audience what to expect and how their employees should behave, a clear cut process of news is shown and when a discrepancy is made they are held liable. The Center for Investigative Reporting is also a nonprofit and nonpartisan news source that is truth driven to hold the powerful accountable. The company has won multiple awards in journalism such as the MacArthur Award and has been a finalist for a Pulitzer several instances. They state that their goal is making their news stories â€Å"accessible, inclusive, and participatory.† Their website’s about page also e xplains, â€Å"We invite the public to hold us accountable for producing the best and deepest reporting on issues that affect