Jade Garcia
You are writing a piece on a star athlete, you are
handed front row seats to the game for you and a friend and given special privileges
within the stadium and invites to the hottest sports parties. Sounds good doesn’t it? Or maybe this scenario
just seems way too good to be true, right? Wrong, in fact these scenarios play out all the time
in the world of journalism. Journalists have a wide audience and a strong voice
which makes them desirable to the those seeking
to revamp or enhance their rep. What they have to say makes a difference in big money
businesses such as the food, sports and entertainment industry. A good word
from the right person is sometimes all you need to make a wrong right and make
a right even better.
If every journalist is being offered these amazing
gifts and being showered with love, what are we as the audience really getting? Are we getting
the truth or are we getting a fabricated version with some added spice because
someone decided that backstage passes were more important than the code they
decided to live and work by when they choose their designated career as a
journalist. It puts into perspective the types of reporters that are out there and
what we as consumers have to be aware of. Do we really want to be duped into believing
that so-and-so is the greatest sweetest and most talented player, singer, or
chef. Or that such-and-such Broadway show is the best in town and that we
should spend all of our money on front row tickets for something that in reality
is as mediocre as the person who wrote it.
Journalists have to think about the implications
that are associated with free gifts from people who really just want one thing
from them , their word. Is something really free when you have to give up your integrity?In this case nothing ever comes without a price even though it may seem like
you are being handed all these amazing opportunities in exchange for a few simple words.
Many journalists have learned the game of bribery
and are not easily swayed by power hungry and attention seeking individuals who
try to buy their way to success.
Those who accept free gifts and maintain their journalistic integrity are those who should be looked upon.
Just because you take something for free doesn’t mean you have to write
something nice about the person. If the person giving you swag bag items and
invitations expects you to be bought over then maybe journalism isn’t your
path. If you are only in the game to find the highest bidder, then when will enough ever be enough and when will you ever start telling the truth?
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