Responsible Journalism System - Essay Example

? Journalism and Mass Media Journalism and Mass Media Introduction Responsible journalism system serves the interest of the public in different ways. The United Nations has been in the front line of advising different nations of the world to embrace the freedom of media policy. This is a policy where the media works independently unlike in the past where the media was controlled and sometimes manipulated by different governments of the world. Even though journalists claim that their biasness and pressure from media owners does not affect their working due to their professional norm of objectivity; all this can affect their work as it might mean feeding the public with the right information. A biased information is not the final truth, and in the case where the media owner influences the kind of information to be issued, then the media fails in being independent (Uow.edu.au 2013). The norm of objectivity is made up of two components. One such component is depersonalization, which is a requirement stipulating that when issuing a report or information, a journalist should never express his or her own views, evaluations or believes for this may lead to delivery of biased information. The second component is balance, which involves presenting opinions of agents from both sides of a controversy, and by all means avoiding favoring one side. The policy of objectivity requires that when dealing with authoritative sources like politicians, journalist should report the views of these sources in a way that proves that they are not favoring any one side (Uow.edu.au 2013). The objectivity policy helps in making sure that the public is protected from biased information that may mislead them when making decisions. Sometimes the information to be reported might not be in conjunction with their beliefs or evaluations, and the policy helps in presenting truth to the public during such instances. Under the responsible journalism system, the public enjoys transparency in different arms of the government and the corporate sector. Socially responsible journalism ensures that journalists working in different departments are careful about the kind of information they present to the public (Uow.edu.au 2013). Balance, which is part of the objectivity policy of journalism, helps in making sure that journalists give the exact information about any authoritative source of information like the government. Through their unbiased and truthful reporting of the activities of the government, journalists help in ensuring that the public is aware of the government’s progress, is a position to scrutinize as well as put the government in check. Such information becomes useful to the public when voting in the next government (Uow.edu.au 2013). The policy of objectivity helps in protecting the rights of the public. In most parts of the world, the greatest traitors and dictators have been rendered powerless by responsible journalism. Responsible journalism educates the public more about their rights and through such education, the public is able to ensure that they acquire their various rights and freedom as stipulated by the law. Sometimes when some governments fail to offer good leadership, the media comes in to serve the role of activists. This at times serves as good way of keeping the government in check, by inciting the public and of ensuring that the public enjoys good governance (Carr 2006). There are many instances in different parts of the world where a social responsible journalism system saves the day by giving the public the right information. Journalism being a source of information, analysis and comments on the current affairs, journalism as a field helps in many different roles in the modern society. The principal goal of almost every professional journalist is to serve the society by being transparent as he or she issues the right and true information to the public. Journalists also examine the way power is exercised by the elected or appointed leaders. Through this, they help in inspiring democratic debate, and this leads to growth, and development on the way the politics are conducted as it inspires social and cultural development in the modern society. For example, in a democratic nation elections must be free and fair. The media has a role to play in such elections as it helps in providing information and analyzing it. Journalists also function as watchdogs and as the voice of the voters; hence ensuring that the interest of the public, and that includes electing the right leader is enhanced (Aibd 2013). Elections are known to determine the future of a nation and even that of an individual. The cases of conflicts in various countries, for example, the genocide in Rwanda, occur as a result of politics. This means that elections and politics are important aspects determining the unity and peace of a nation. During elections, the media plays a very big role in making sure that the public gets the right information at the right time (Aibd 2013). Through the media, citizens are able to access a lot of information about the elections to be conducted. Since the public depends on the media to be informed about the elections, there is a need for professional journalism, and one that is socially responsible to give objective and relevant information to the public. Media from different nations of the world has been in the frontline acting as link between the election commission and the citizens. The media also acts as a watchdog of the elections. This gives them the role of reporting any form of irregularities during the election process, and to ensure that they are not biased in their reporting. Acting as the voice of the citizens is another role of the media. This means that the media serves the role of ensuring that the rights of the citizens are protected, and in case they are abused the media comes out in defense of the same. This helps in ensuring that each member of the public is aware of their different rights, and can enjoy them without the fear of being intimidated in any way (Aibd 2013). Socially responsible and a professional journalists observe the journalism ethics. This helps the public in getting information, which is not biased, in any way. In the current modern society of the Latin Americans, journalists are aware that their duty is to offer the public true information. This supremacy of truth helps in making sure that the society lives in a transparent world, a reason why most of the Latin American countries are growing both socially and economically. Responsible journalists are those that offer complete information, with no fact forged or removed (Fes 2013). Freedom of Expression This is an ethical norm, which plays a very big role in mass media and journalism. Freedom of expression supports the rights of every individual to express their views and opinions freely. This freedom has helped in democracy growth in different parts of the world. Through the availability of true and socially responsible journalism, it has been possible for people to enjoy the freedom of press and expression, unlike in some states where the media is prohibited from passing certain information to the public. This is highly practiced in Latin American countries like Chile, Columbia and Ecuador (Lerner and Lerner, 2009). It is the duty of their journalist to defend their right to freedom of expression. This helps in creating a free world where people can give out their opinions without fear. Freedom of expression is a big booster to journalism as it provides journalist with the right to present the truth to the public no matter how bad or intimidating it may be for those concerned (Fes 2013). References Aibd, 2013. Fair Elections and Responsible Journalism. AIBD - Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development. [Online] Available at: http://www.aibd.org.my/node/1083 [Accessed: 13 Nov 2013]. Carr, H. 2006. Purpose-Driven Media Literacy. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Fes, 2013. Ethics in Journalism: A Reader on Their Perception in the Third World. [Online] Available at: http://www.fes.de/fulltext/iez/00710b03.htm [Accessed: 13 Nov 2013]. Lerner, A. and Lerner, A. 2009. Freedom of Expression. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Uow.edu.au. 2013. The Media - Objectivity. [Online] Available at: http://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/STS218/media/objectivity.html [Accessed: 13 Nov 2013]. Read More