Journalism

From ArticleWorld


Journalism is the activity of making the news. Journalists compile information, edit, critique, analyze, and finally publish it. Except in the case of blog news or open publishing, the stories are usually proofread by an editorial staff.

In many countries, journalists are guaranteed the freedom to write whatever they choose. This freedom also extends to journalistic sources, which are often given the right to remain anonymous. Freedom of the press does not necessarily guarantee that the news is a representation of free thought. Some accuse the news media of being a monopoly, and stifling "balanced" journalism to protect corporate interests. However, the Internet now allows anyone and everyone to take part in the journalistic process. Many free blogs allow information to be published with little or no editorial oversight.

Styles of journalism

The main function of journalism is to report the news objectively. Responsible journalists must "stick to the facts" when writing the news. Only the events that happened, people involved, causes and effects are discussed. While this is the official goal of objective news reporting, well-intentioned journalists may be mislead by disinformation, inaccurate press releases and propaganda. Sometimes, news reporters will willfully mislead, by omitting certain facts or by focusing on only one side of an issue. Despite being trained in impartial news coverage, not every reporter is immune to bias.

Exclusive articles that contain in depth exposure are called features. Feature articles are usually written by a special group of correspondents who are skilled in the art of comprehensive written analysis. These articles go beyond reporting and offer a detailed explanation of the factors involved in newsworthy events.

In contrast to objective reporting, and feature reporting--which is generally an extension of objective news--editorial or opinion writing is designed to promote a specific view to the public. Editorials may be endorsed by the news outlet that publishes them, but they are always differentiated from the main body of purely factual news. When publishing an official editorial, a newspaper usually allows reporters to pen an Op-ed article in opposition to it.

Types of media

Journalism is not limited to newspapers. Magazines, television and radio are also outlets for reporting. With the advent of the Internet, it has spread to an even larger public. People are not only reading news from around the world, but writing it on blogs and open publishing websites. Most of these journalistic outlets are subject to the same stringent standards of objectivity, accuracy and editorial control as the newspapers. Tabloids are a notable exception to this, as are many blogs, some alternative news outlets and open source websites.