The Free Journalist Essay - 1466 Words

American journalism is a constantly evolving field, and the freedoms granted by the Constitution allow the news media to flourish in a fairly unrestricted environment. As an integral part of the democratic United States, the media is responsible for keeping citizens informed and involved in their government and society. However, the media is not infallible, nor is it omniscient. Since its conception, it has faced detractors both foreign and domestic, and from every feasible political party. Despite its legions of reporters, analysts, and executive producers, the news media is unable to follow every story and capture each moment in detail. America is a dynamic aggregation in a state of perpetual expansion, and the media today is facing†¦show more content†¦Footage from the 9/11 attacks and the â€Å"Miracle on the Hudson† was first taken by bystanders effectively acting as citizen journalists (Emerson College ECommunication Thoughts). However, stories may also be negle cted due to the bias of networks and publishers (Outing). Various news stations, including Fox News and MSNBC, have a history of coming under fire for intense political bias. Although personal bias is usually negligible in the professional realm, political bias often stems from the influence of network heads and their monetary goals (Marcovitz 27). Journalists are often called â€Å"watchdogs† focused on keeping the government in check (Marcovitz 6). The effectiveness of citizen journalists is often in question; professional journalists are trained to keep their personal biases in check. However, a B.A. is not required to have moral compass. Although citizen journalists have no professional training, many still follow a certain code of ethics (Marcovitz 51). A metaphor is implemented to describe the position citizen journalism must hold: One way to conceptualize this new journalism, at its best, is to imagine it as a great jazz performance. Citizen journalists, bloggers, pro-am journalists and innovators we cannot even imagine would contribute along with paid professional journalists. The former would be the improvisers who would push the implicit logic and beauty of the music to its limits. The latter, theShow MoreRelatedMedia Law in Australia1303 Words   |  5 Pagesobjective of this work in writing is to examine media law in Australia and to answer the question of whether journalists should receive protection against revealing their sources in court. This work will discuss the merits of each side of the argument. 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