The Role Of Journalists On The Media - 3097 Words

Imagine a world in which you did not have access to any news – the only thing you consider current events is what you yourself see and what you hear from others. Obviously, this world would be very problematic. We all rely on the news media to connect us to the entire world, which is why the role of journalists is essential. Journalists have the very important duty of reporting on current events accurately and objectively. Along with written text, pictures also tell a story, which presents a continuous ethical issue for many journalists. Although newspapers and magazines routinely publish photos, there are many ethical values that journalists must consider before publishing those photos, such as the impact a photo or video could have†¦show more content†¦There are typically three types of news stories journalists look for: natural events or disasters, a person, group, or organization completing some newsworthy act, and when journalists themselves develop their ow n story through beat reporting (â€Å"News†). Once these stories have been found, it is imperative that journalists report on these events both accurately and objectively. This balance is imperative for journalists to maintain because according to Greenberg and Wheelwright, â€Å"a key aspect of journalistic ethics is the management of readers’ expectations† (514). Although the field as a whole has been transforming due to the online news media, considering what is newsworthy for the general public has always been a main concern for journalists. As a result of this transformation, trust in the news media has drastically decreased over the past several years for a variety of reasons, which is why a revival of essential journalistic values, such as honesty and integrity, is needed. Along with using written text to tell a news story, pictures also play an important role in journalism. The popular phrase â€Å"a picture is worth a thousand words† is often true in this field. When thinking back on a previous news story, readers will most likely remember the visual portrayal of a news story rather than the written text. According to recent research, â€Å"as