Why Journalism is Essential for an Informed Society
Two professions that have garnered the most heat in recent decades are police officers and journalists.
Police officers have faced criticism, often due to instances where they escalate situations that lead to tragic outcomes.
Every incident contributes to a negative narrative for police officers.
Similarly, journalists have been receiving increased criticism.
This trend began during the 2016 election when Donald Trump repeatedly attacked reporters, calling them “fake news.”
Over time, it became fashionable to hate on both police officers and journalists.
I have a rule:
- Never hate on a profession that you may need in a time of crisis but aren’t willing to take on yourself.
That’s why I can’t hate on police officers.
If someone breaks into my house, the first thing I’ll do is call the police.
I’ll call them in my time of need, and I’ll never become one of them.
Another group of people I rely on is journalists.
Whenever there’s a hurricane headed my way, I depend on journalists to provide accurate information.
Without them, I’d be in the dark.
Darkness is where this story begins.
The Purpose of Journalism
The purpose of journalism is to shed light on the world.
It’s meant to make people more aware.
We are information-spreading beings.
This has occurred since our primal ancestors roamed the land.
They communicated to warn others in their tribe if a threat was near.
As we evolved in sharing information, our methods became more precise.
We began to explore a variety of topics beyond just survival news.
News expanded to include:
- Sports
- Politics
- Weather
- Current events
- Global events
- Local events
And more.
A journalist’s role is to gather information from various sources.
They then analyze, ask more questions, and slowly piece together a story.
That story is then shared with a mass audience—this is the part we usually see.
Traits of a Good Journalist
A quality journalist must be curious, have great writing skills, possess clear speaking abilities, and maintain a sharp intellect.
But the most important trait they must have is self-awareness.
“Why is self-awareness so important, Armani?”
Because a biased journalist is a flawed journalist.
Here’s the thing, though:
- Humans are naturally biased!
We can’t help it.
There is always a limitation to our knowledge or experience.
In moments like these, the best person to check us is ourselves.
We have to think:
“Am I too personally involved in this topic? If so, I need to either become more objective and get the facts, or I need to give the story to someone else.”
Once the self-awareness puzzle is solved, the other pieces start to fall into place.
With self-awareness, a journalist will remain curious and search for more information. Once they gather enough details, they will use their intellect to craft the story. Then, they’ll write it clearly and refine it.
After writing, they should be able to communicate it confidently.
All great journalists stress the importance of using writing to discover your speaking voice.
A successful journalist must excel at both writing and speaking—one without the other will make the profession lopsided.
Traits of a Bad Journalist
A bad journalist isn’t trying to shed light on the truth—they’re chasing clicks.
There’s a big difference between a journalist and a content creator.
The problem is that in modern times, it’s harder than ever to distinguish between the two.
A journalist pursues the truth, with clicks being a byproduct.
A content creator pursues clicks, with the truth as an afterthought.
Many journalists believe they’re unbiased, but in reality, they’re far from it.
They aren’t reporting the facts, aren’t searching for the truth, and are simply looking to be first.
I believe many of these people started with the right intentions.
Unfortunately, the current media landscape has become too competitive.
In this environment, if journalists aren’t first, they’re last—and being last can be perceived as incompetence.
Nowadays, plenty of them rush their stories.
In the rush, their work becomes poorly thought out, leading to retractions.
Each retraction chips away at their credibility.
Is Being Opinionated Bad?
I don’t think being an opinionated journalist is bad.
Just be honest about it.
The problem arises when someone claims, “I’m unbiased,” but when you look at their portfolio, it’s full
of bias.
In my work with ArmaniTalks, I embrace my biases.
I believe that leveraging your biases can make you a compelling content creator.
Talk about your experiences and your truth, but be transparent.
With the ArmaniTalks blog, I openly admit that I’m biased. I lean more toward content creation than journalism. I’m more focused on sharing my experiences in a way that others can learn from, rather than interviewing a bunch of people and reporting what happened.
If more people were honest about their intentions, it could lead to a better information landscape.
In modern times, you don’t have to be trained to present yourself as a journalist.
Individuals are becoming media giants on their own.
During times like these, it’s essential to adapt rather than complain about how things used to be.
Journalism Is Still a Powerful Profession
Despite the criticism journalists face, I can’t hate on them.
I respect the work they do.
The best way to appreciate a profession you despise is to imagine a world without it.
Without journalists, we’d be in the dark during a crisis.
Granted, there are many independent journalists on social media.
But how do we know who’s telling the truth?
It’s hard to tell.
There are individuals who share the truth, while some large media organizations lie through their teeth.
We must use our discernment.
Ultimately, being a journalist is a challenging responsibility, especially in a democracy.
With them, information gets spread.
Hopefully, they exercise their power ethically.
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