newspaper

[Flickr Photo: newspaper, by: David Weinberger. License CC.]

The first thing that probably came to your mind is to inform the public. This would be a correct assumption since journalism is meant to be informative about a variety of topics such as politics and sports. In doing so journalists shine a light in what is happening around you as well as give you all the data needed to make an educated decision on whether or not to support a certain event or movement, among other things.

Journalism is meant to do the following:

  • Be the eyes and ears of the general public
  • Show the impact of every day events as well as explain them
  • Establish order and, in doing so, peace
  • Arouse the interest of the community
  • Maintain credibility while also being unbiased

It’s important to keep in mind that this profession can instigate criticism. Not everyone is going to agree or disagree with a journalist’s work. It is commonly believed that the tense environment of the editorial staff as well as commercialization have had an impact on societies opinion of this line of work.

There are also guidelines to be followed in this profession. Some of them are mentioned and discussed here: http://mediaguide.fi/?p=20