MOTIVATIONS

    What are my motivations in becoming a journalist? This question can be answered by the first principle of journalism according to The Elements of Journalism: 

"The primary purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to be free and self-governing" (Kovach & Rosenstiel).

Although I am still undecided of my major, I know the importance of journalism in today's society.  A subject that is constantly taught in this class is the purpose of journalism.  From day one, we have learned that a journalist's first duty is to the citizens. Without journalists, citizens would be unaware of a great deal of news worthy events that they should know about.  After realizing this, my motivation to become a journalist is to fulfill the needs of the people in our society.  Citizens have a right to know what's going on, and its our duty as journalists to keep them informed.  

"Open journalism’s core principles are transparency, responsiveness, participation, collaboration and connection. … It’s an idea for making quality journalism a collective endeavor and transforming it from a product driven by factory processes to a service driven by audience needs.”

This quote from an article by Josh Stearns expresses the fundamentality of journalism.  Journalists should report on what citizens need to know, rather than what will sell.  Newspapers began as a hobby and later developed into a revenue product.  This drive to make money has changed the focus of news.  As a journalist, I want to provide the public with the information they need to know.  Giving the public knowledge motivates me to become the best journalists I can possibly be.  

The full article can be found by clicking HERE.