This week's readings made me think about some elements of
journalism I haven't thought about before. I didn't know how much of a
separation there was between the reporting and business sides of media
industries, sometimes manifesting itself in the form of an actual wall between
the two sides.
It upsets me that journalists have to be
concerned about things like catering to advertisers and catering to the
business interests of the company they work for. Instead of a journalist being
rewarded for the quality of their work they are rewarded for the profitability
of their work. How are journalists supposed to write the truth when they have
to worry about affecting the media company’s business element?
I’m not saying journalists should be allowed to run around
unchecked and write things down willy nilly, but a degree of independence is
needed if they are expected to produce good work.
I agree with your comment about journalists being able to have a sense of independence while working. In the reading, it was explained how advertisers and other businesses can effect the paycheck that journalists are awarded. I found it hard to believe that journalists not only have to worry about reporting the truth for the citizens, but they also have to worry about making sure advertisers and other businesses are happy or they won't have a job. It really shows the the high demands of the job and how it's much more than just simply reporting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your frustration about journalists having to be concerned with advertising and business strategies. Business practices and paychecks shouldn't be so intermingled for journalists. That's certainly something that each of us, as aspiring journalists, have to keep in mind as a currently-realistic aspect affecting some in the industry.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading about journalists being chained to advertisers, I immediately drew the comparison to television writers and the invisible barriers that they have on their work to not piss off advertisers. The detrimental difference though is that a television writer having to omit derogatory comments about Coke is much more innocuous than a journalist maybe holding back pertinent information to their public because of constraints from advertisers.
ReplyDeleteEarly career reporters are at least partly insulated by their bosses, who take the heat if the biggest employer in town is criticized in an article. More likely, though, is that the young reporters desire to do hard-hitting investigation will be thwarted by editors before such a story is ever published. At least in small town settings.
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