Providing an Extra Check

I have always been a firm believer that democracy cannot exist without a free press. During a communications class my junior year the professor asked for all the journalism majors in the room to raise their hands. I quickly scanned the room hoping for tons of hands to shoot up, and not one budged. I knew I was in trouble as I timidly raised my hand. He had me come to the front of the class and then asked the class: “Who here believes that a free press is a fundamental element to democracy?” Out of a class of about thirty maybe five raised their hand. The professor then looked at me, and said it was my job to convince the class that my “future occupation was more important than theirs.”

The discussion was a little awkward at first as I tried to navigate through my explanation without hurting anyone feelings and sounding too egotistical. But by the end of the class I had close to three-fourths of the class now believing a true democracy must contain a free press. Journalists have a responsibility to watch over the government, businesses and organizations on all levels and make sure proper procedures and actions are being executed. I am excited about this role of a watchdog, acting as another “check” in the checks and balances system.

It’s hard to concretely define the role of a journalist when the definition of a journalist is constantly debated. There are no standardized tests or required curriculum to pass to be labeled as a journalist. A 2002 study conducted by journalist and author Hugo de Burgh found that the primary reason people become journalists is a love for writing. The enjoyment of reporting and interviewing was the second most popular reason. The third and fourth most common reason cited was a desire to be involved in public events and an interest in politics. I was surprised that “being a watchdog,” or “lending a voice to the overshadowed” didn’t even break the top ten.

I can not tell you how often I have walked into a legislative meeting and had a group of men in their fancy suites stop discussing their plans because a reporter was now in the room. We hold a lot of power. We hold a lot more power than we realize. But just like Spiderman, “with this power, comes great responsibility.” Journalists set the agenda and tell readers what to be discussing at dinner parties and what to be outraged over. By what we cover and how we cover it, we decide what’s important for society to be thinking about. In my opinion, “news” has become too entertainment oriented and we need provide better news coverage.

I like to believe that leaders and people in high positions have made a decision not to do something bad or unlawful because of what would happened if the press found out. People tend to make more ethical decisions if they know someone is watching. It is important for people to know they are going to be held accountable. If a fire kills 10 people in a facility that was not required to have a sprinkler system because lobbyists bought off lawmakers because it would cost a lot of money and time to install sprinklers, the public deserves to know this information.

Journalists also act as information filters for society. It is very easy for people to go online and find out information on their own, that they don’t rely as much on journalists as in the past. However, journalists must continue to sift through information, and place the facts in context and explain to the reader what certain information or news means to them. Journalists have the obligation to analyze and provide context and meaning to current events to make people understand the importance or impact of an event. It is one thing to know that something happened, it is quite another to understand the significance of the event, what led up to it, and potential consequences. Journalists need to continue to perform this analytical role to create a more informed society. It is important that society is informed so it can fully and knowledgeably participate in the democratic process.