Journalists as Ideologues

Journalist tend to report from ideologues based off a set of aims or ideas to obtain one's goal. In reporting you often have a vision of what you want to report first, and a lot of those come from our own experiences.

We all see the world in our own perspective according to culture, religion, traditions, and political stand points. It is just in our nature to have an opinion on most things that can control our reporting in the way we present a story. For example, if a reporter isn't as familiar with a certain group of people, the reporter may report the story only through personal experience or what we have seen or read through the media,which is not always the best way to report news.

I know that we all have opinions, but it is important to not let our opinions effect our reporting. It should be more based on facts, evidence, and human sources we interview to make a great story, and try not to skew a story in a particular way that it seems bias.

journalist main focus on objectivity is reliance upon truth. It is more of a practical truth assumed that journalist have opinions, of course they do they are human, but since journalist has access to report news to the people it is critical that each journalist follow the guidelines of fairness, balance, and accuracy in every story. And not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice, but again based on facts.

I agree with the presentation that the golden rule of journalist is to be fair, balanced and accurate in every story, but a journalist cannot and should not block out his or her biases, experience and gut-level emotion. I think it is what makes the story more personable that the people can relate to, not saying to take sides and report only your opinions, but just report the truth in all that you do, you can still report the truth and add your experience to the story. For example, if the reporter is reporting a story on a political campaign and the journalist has experience and relations in the political circle then yes, use it in your reporting. People want to rely on the people who knows what they are talking about and not just someone who is stating a fact, but to add in depth statements to help make the story so much stronger.

Passion and emotion only should fit into journalism when their is meaning behind it. It's not to obtain more fans or viewers, for example Anderson Cooper he has become known in the media for getting involved and who shares his emotions to the audience. It seems he has become more of a celebrity type figure than a journalist. I understand things are emotional, Cooper has been to war zones, seen people dying, but I think their is a time to report and a time to cry. I'm not saying don't have emotion in reporting, but not let it overpower your story that you have become less reliable in your reporting. It is up to the reporter to stay strong for the people and to share with them when a disaster has occurred that you are being strong like the people are as well.

To become a stronger journalist it is important to know the key elements of journalism, and to know our role that we are here to report the truth and what really counts in society. We can make a difference in the world if we are ethical and accurate in our stories.



Emotional Anderson Cooper: