Journalism: Profession or Craft

Natalie Butko
nb861214@ohio.edu

In today's world journalism can take many forms. The internet and social media have made it easy for anyone to blog, report on current events and spread information to any corner of the world. Today's political and social climates have shown that journalism is more important than ever. When diving deeper into what journalism is, it is hard to give a label to the industry as a whole. Should journalism be regarded as a profession alongside law and medicine or does the easy access to the industry make it a craft?

For many it is easy to write journalism off as just a craft. No formal education or training is needed to start a career in journalism. In earlier decades, the largest hurdle of becoming a journalist was having an outlet. With the internet that hurdle no longer exists. Anyone with internet access can become a journalist and with most public libraries having a plethora of computers, that "anyone" includes just about everyone.

While journalists are using their hands to make something in a skillful way, the industry is so much more than the craft of writing. Journalists use research, interview, and editing skills which are usually all taught then honed over time. They must also be able to identify newsworthy information, which in today's culture of information overload is no easy task.

Perhaps the biggest argument that journalism is indeed a profession and not a craft is the industry's similarities to other professional industries. Just like medicine, politics and law, journalism is an industry working for the people. Journalism acts as the watchdog to government and society.

Maria Saporta from the Saporta Report says, "It’s no accident that the First Amendment of our nation’s Bill of Rights protected the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech. It is fundamental to our democracy and to what makes the United States special. So it is distressing to hear President Donald Trump call the press the 'enemy of the people' when the reverse is actually true."

Another argument for journalism being a profession is the code of standards for the industry including a code of ethics. The Society of Professional Journalist's Code of Ethics includes four principles to guide journalists:

• Seek Truth and Report It
• Minimize Harm
• Act Indepedently
• Be Accountable and Transparent

These principles are intended for everyone working in the journalism/media field. Just like the other professional industries mentioned, the journalism industry wants to ensure the field is remaining ethical. While it is important to note that the journalism industry does not have an official governing body to ensure these principles are being enforced, many news organizations and individuals are making an effort to show they honor SPJ's Code of Ethics. 

An example of this is NewsGuard, a Microsoft web extension that lets internet users view trust ratings for news and information websites. According to their website, "NewsGuard uses journalism to fight false news, misinformation, and disinformation. Our trained analysts, who are experienced journalists, research online news brands to help readers and viewers know which ones are trying to do legitimate journalism—and which are not." 

NewsGuard Criteria. Credit: NewsGuard

NewsGuard and SPJ's Code of Ethics are just two ways the journalism industry is showing it is a profession rather than just a craft. Both of these resources are trying to keep the industry ethical and professional, while continuing to serve the public.