Samantha Schilder
ss469613@ohio.edu
Journalist can be the best people, but often become the worst. The saying "Don't kill the messenger" is a great phrase when thinking of the duties of a journalist. Our number one job is to inform, inform the public by seeking the truth and reporting it. To educate our readers we often get caught in the middle of controversy topics, such as Fergunson. The delima that journalist encounter is how do we get close enough to report the story, but not so close so we don't have harm or even worse a personal outlook on the message being given. News-gathering can get competitive, when this happens you have to be cautious of not just reporting the story first but following the proper ethical codes and executing a truthful story.
We are the generation of the future, via social media and twitter feeds we have created a new job of "quick journalism." In the reading, "Unethical Journalism can make Ferguson more dangerous" I thought the saying; "Sometimes, Don't shoot applies to reporters as well as cops." Reporters put on scenes such as Ferguson are set to report via twitter, Facebook updates etc. Wanting to be the first to report these updates has put the reports in situations of reporting unreliable information. On the flip side, the reports are seeking a lot of pressure from the readers to get stories immediately. We may be the generation of demand but its because our technological advancements and reliability of convenience through the media.
Stated earlier, reporters are putting their lives at risk to report the best story and be the first to release it. Journalist job descriptions aren't just sitting behind a desk writing, checking grammar, or interviewing the famous. Found in web article, "Why do journalist risk their lives in war zones?" Two award winning photojournalist died while covering a battle between rebels and Libyan government. The article ask why journalist do this? Why are they risking their lives to simply report a story and execute it. Journalist do this because we care, we want to make a difference first-hand. Journalist can witness things and rely it to the public to show what conflicts are really like, fun situations or dangerous situations journalist are the heart of the story.
Regardless of being first, last or somewhere in between we rely on journalist to seek the truth and report it. You can see the passion behind journalist and the dedication they have to get you the story, although some times it may not be the most reliable they do put their lives on the line to inform the readers. Although many say the employment of journalist are dwindling away, I disagree. I believe the job description of journalist is simply expanding to fit the technological advances of generations to come. As a journalism of the future, a current "tweeter" of today, I believe that journalist can make the world a better place one post at a time. Regardless if we are first or last, journalist are always needed.
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