The Awareness Instinct

Gina Thurston

gt213919@ohio.edu

News For a Changing World

After reading the introduction and first chapter from The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, I determined that throughout history, humans have had an innate desire to report the news and compare it to what others have heard. It doesn't just stop there. Historically, human beings have wanted to know what is happening in other areas to help make sense of what is happening in their world. 

In a Nutshell...

From the early days of civilization through the modern era, the news came by word-of-mouth or some form of print. Whether it was by a designated spokesperson, like in early tribal civilizations, or by developing technology like the radio or television, people waited for the news to be delivered. The news would come, usually at a certain time and format. In my lifetime, this was waiting for the morning paper and evening news on TV. Everyone received the news at the same time and in the same way. 

With the internet becoming a household commodity and increasingly portable, news became something that had to deliver fresh stories throughout the day. Television tried to keep up with a 24-hour breaking news channel, but it was no match for up-to-the-minute news that was now in demand on our tablets, smartphones, and laptops. 

Image Source: John Carroll

At What Cost?

In one word: credibility.

So, going back to the very beginning, the human need that we're all ingrained with to know what is going on around us is an essential part of how we make sense of our own lives is now at our fingertips. No more waiting for the newspaper, no waiting for the evening news. This fulfills another desire: to be the first in the know. This s a big one. This is what turns credible, reliable, verified news into fake news and clickbait. There is a race to put the latest word on the internet, and a race to read it and report it to our friends, family, and peers. 

This article describes how we consume news today. Through our favorite social media apps and websites, readers are inundated with headlines that they click on, and it takes them to an often not well-written piece on current events, celebrity scandals, politics, or crime. It seems to be more like the news is consuming us. 

Who to trust?

In this new era of journalism, when we need credibility now more than ever, this article (which is also written by the authors of our textbook, Kovach and Rosenstiel!) recaps the journalists' creed and why it's so important when the truth is sometimes complicated. The article goes on to describe how an ethical modern era journalist helps our confused world by eliminating the self-promoting, misinformation, and disinformation from their stories. Then, the public can sort through the information and draw its own conclusion without the writer adding their narrative. The press only needs to concentrate on verification.

Modern-day humans will benefit from seeking out credible and ethical sources. Too often, we are drawn to the outlet that establishes the echo chamber in which we are comfortable. Our drive to be aware has been blurred by the presumed luxury of picking and choosing which news we want to hear and be true, for that matter. Will social media news sources obscure our inherent need for awareness of our modern world?