journalist?
We were asked this question at the beginning of the semester. As I answered this question, my answer relied on other sources. I searched our books and the Internet for an answer. From all that I have learned in this class, I think I am able to answer that question on my own. A journalist is not necessarily someone who works for a newspaper. Anyone that provides the public with valuable knowledge may be considered a journalist. Within journalism, jobs range from broadcast journalism to in-field reporting. A journalist is someone who strives to provide knowledge to the public. Their main goal is to get information out in society in order to help the public be able to make their own decisions. A journalist wants the public to know what is going on in the world. A journalist does not take bribes or favors. Journalists who change their story for the benefit of themselves or other people are not journalists. Their work is based solely on what the public needs to know, not what certain people think the public needs to know. A journalist practices objectivity and does not show any bias in their stories. Like said earlier, journalists should provide only information that the public needs to know. A journalist provides accurate information by checking facts and sources. Making up fake sources or fake interviews diminishes the credibility of a reporter. A journalist tells the truth. The only way a journalist can gain credibility is by the truth they present in their stories. I am just beginning to understand what it means to be a journalist. To see other personal definitions of a journalist, click here.
