journalism /jrnlizm/

Noun 1. The activity or profession of writing for newspapers or magazines or of broadcasting news on radio or television. 2. The product of such activity. JOURNALISM is the practice of investigating and reporting events, issues

and trends to the mass audiences of print, broadcast and online media such as newspapers, magazines and books, radio and television stations and networks, and blogs and social and mobile media.

The product generated by such activity is called journalism. People who gather and package news and information for mass dissemination are journalists. The field includes writing, editing, design and photography.

Webster's College Dictionary

journalismdr nlz m(n.)

1. the occupation of gathering, writing, editing, and publishing or broadcasting news.
Category: Journalism

2. newspapers and magazines; the press.

Category: Journalism

3. a course of study for a career in journalism.

Category: Journalism

4. material written for a newspaper or magazine.

Category: Journalism

5. writing marked by a popular slant.

Category: Journalism

Webster's College Dictionary

Definitions for JournalismThe collection preparation and distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through such media as pamphlets newsletters newspapers magazines radio motion pictures television and books While originally applied to the reportage of current events in printed form specifically newspapers with the advent of radio and television the use of the term has broadened to include all printed and electronic communication dealing with current affairs

The Role of Journalism

The Role of Journalism Larry Dailey, Professor, Reynolds Chair in Media Technology, Donald A. Reynolds -What is the role of journalism? To inform To educate To engage To entertain To frustrate To sadden To scare Journalism is a little bit of everything. At its core it is about communicating, connecting and informing. It is about sharing, inviting and provoking. News organizations need to learn how to communicate with the community better. Just as journalists communicate with their sources, journalists need to learn to have a dialog with those reading their articles and visiting their Web sites. Ask readers what they think? Really listen to their opinion and engage in a conversation with them. If people take the time to read and comment on an article, the least a reporter can do is listen to what they have to say and respond. Interact with the audience. Engage with those reading your pape

PRINCIPLES OF JOURNALISM AND OBLIGATIONS OF JOURNALISM

In 1997, an organization then administered by PEJ, the Committee of Concerned Journalists, began a national conversation among citizens and news people to identify and clarify the principles that underlie journalism. After four years of research, including 20 public forums around the country, a reading of journalism history, a national survey of journalists, and more, the group released a Statement of Shared Purpose that identified nine principles. These became the basis for The Elements of Journalism, the book by PEJ Director Tom Rosenstiel and CCJ Chairman and PEJ Senior Counselor Bill Kovach. Here are those principles, as outlined in the original Statement of Shared Purpose.

A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE After extended examination by journalists themselves of the character of journalism at the end of the twentieth century, we offer this common understanding of what defines our work. The central purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in a free society.

This encompasses myriad roles--helping define community, creating common language and common knowledge, identifying a community's goals, heroes and villains, and pushing people beyond complacency. This purpose also involves other requirements, such as being entertaining, serving as watchdog and offering voice to the voiceless. Over time journalists have developed nine core principles to meet the task. They comprise what might be described as the theory of journalism: 1. JOURNALISM'S FIRST OBLIGATION IS TO THE TRUTH Democracy depends on citizens having reliable, accurate facts put in a meaningful context. Journalism does not pursue truth in an absolute or philosophical sense, but it can--and must--pursue it in a practical sense. This "journalistic truth" is a process that begins with the professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. Then journalists try to convey a fair and reliable account of their meaning, valid for now, subject to further investigation. Journalists should be as transparent as possible about sources and methods so audiences can make their own assessment of the information. Even in a world of expanding voices, accuracy is the foundation upon which everything else is built--context, interpretation, comment, criticism, analysis and debate. The truth, over time, emerges from this forum. As citizens encounter an ever greater flow of data, they have more need--not less--for identifiable sources dedicated to verifying that information and putting it in context.

2. ITS FIRST LOYALTY IS TO CITIZENS While news organizations answer to many constituencies, including advertisers and shareholders, the journalists in those organizations must maintain allegiance to citizens and the larger public interest above any other if they are to provide the news without fear or favor. This commitment to citizens first is the basis of a news organization's credibility, the implied covenant that tells the audience the coverage is not slanted for friends or advertisers. Commitment to citizens also means journalism should present a representative picture of all constituent groups in society. Ignoring certain citizens has the effect of disenfranchising them. The theory underlying the modern news industry has been the belief that credibility builds a broad and loyal audience, and that economic success follows in turn. In that regard, the business people in a news organization also must nurture--not exploit--their allegiance to the audience ahead of other considerations.

3. ITS ESSENCE IS A DISCIPLINE OF VERIFICATION Journalists rely on a professional discipline for verifying information. When the concept of objectivity originally evolved, it did not imply that journalists are free of bias. It called, rather, for a consistent method of testing information--a transparent approach to evidence--precisely so that personal and cultural biases would not undermine the accuracy of their work. The method is objective, not the journalist. Seeking out multiple witnesses, disclosing as much as possible about sources, or asking various sides for comment, all signal such standards. This discipline of verification is what separates journalism from other modes of communication, such as propaganda, fiction or entertainment. But the need for professional method is not always fully recognized or refined. While journalism has developed various techniques for determining facts, for instance, it has done less to develop a system for testing the reliability of journalistic interpretation.

4. ITS PRACTITIONERS MUST MAINTAIN AN INDEPENDENCE FROM THOSE THEY COVER Independence is an underlying requirement of journalism, a cornerstone of its reliability. Independence of spirit and mind, rather than neutrality, is the principle journalists must keep in focus. While editorialists and commentators are not neutral, the source of their credibility is still their accuracy, intellectual fairness and ability to inform--not their devotion to a certain group or outcome. In our independence, however, we must avoid any tendency to stray into arrogance, elitism, isolation or nihilism.

5. IT MUST SERVE AS AN INDEPENDENT MONITOR OF POWER Journalism has an unusual capacity to serve as watchdog over those whose power and position most affect citizens. The Founders recognized this to be a rampart against despotism when they ensured an independent press; courts have affirmed it; citizens rely on it. As journalists, we have an obligation to protect this watchdog freedom by not demeaning it in frivolous use or exploiting it for commercial gain.

6. IT MUST PROVIDE A FORUM FOR PUBLIC CRITICISM AND COMPROMISE The news media are the common carriers of public discussion, and this responsibility forms a basis for our special privileges. This discussion serves society best when it is informed by facts rather than prejudice and supposition. It also should strive to fairly represent the varied viewpoints and interests in society, and to place them in context rather than highlight only the conflicting fringes of debate. Accuracy and truthfulness require that as framers of the public discussion we not neglect the points of common ground where problem solving occurs.

7. IT MUST STRIVE TO MAKE THE SIGNIFICANT INTERESTING AND RELEVANT Journalism is storytelling with a purpose. It should do more than gather an audience or catalogue the important. For its own survival, it must balance what readers know they want with what they cannot anticipate but need. In short, it must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant. The effectiveness of a piece of journalism is measured both by how much a work engages its audience and enlightens it. This means journalists must continually ask what information has most value to citizens and in what form. While journalism should reach beyond such topics as government and public safety, a journalism overwhelmed by trivia and false significance ultimately engenders a trivial society.

8. IT MUST KEEP THE NEWS COMPREHENSIVE AND PROPORTIONAL Keeping news in proportion and not leaving important things out are also cornerstones of truthfulness. Journalism is a form of cartography: it creates a map for citizens to navigate society. Inflating events for sensation, neglecting others, stereotyping or being disproportionately negative all make a less reliable map. The map also should include news of all our communities, not just those with attractive demographics. This is best achieved by newsrooms with a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. The map is only an analogy; proportion and comprehensiveness are subjective, yet their elusiveness does not lessen their significance.

9. ITS PRACTITIONERS MUST BE ALLOWED TO EXERCISE THEIR PERSONAL CONSCIENCE Every journalist must have a personal sense of ethics and responsibility--a moral compass. Each of us must be willing, if fairness and accuracy require, to voice differences with our colleagues, whether in the newsroom or the executive suite. News organizations do well to nurture this independence by encouraging individuals to speak their minds. This stimulates the intellectual diversity necessary to understand and accurately cover an increasingly diverse society. It is this diversity of minds and voices, not just numbers, that matters.

The functions of journalism?

Well, there are eight functions of mass media: 1) inform (a teacher function) 2) surveillance (a watcher function) 3) service the economic system 4) hold society together (act as sort of a cultural glue) 5) entertain 6) act as a community forum (media equivalent of town hall meeting or group discussion) 7) set the agenda 8) service the political system Or some sources say Inform Interpret Mold opinion Enable decision making Agent of change Entertain

Journalism
Introduction Journalism is a profession of writing for newspaper and magazines. Two important works are done: 1. collection of news 2. dissemination of information Journalist: One who is attached to the profession of journalism is called journalist. Importance of Journalism: Journalism is an import profession. Its importance can not be denied in modern world. It is universally acknowledged that pen is mightier than sword. Journalism is highly important because 1. It protects society from aggression.

2. It becomes the voice of society and dont let any one to exploit it. 3. It protects human rights. 4. It serves a s mirror and project the images of politician and leaders etc. 5. It challenges act of autocracy and dictatorship 6. World has become global village, people stay connected through mass media around the world. Consumers of journalism: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Public masses government NGOs Organizations youngsters professionals businessman students etc

Functions of journalism: following are the functions of journalism 1. Provide information 2. Influence people through opinions, advertisements, editorials etc. 3. Provide entertainment 4. Advertisement takes place 5. Educational function ( provide education to people on various topics) 6. Provide latest NEWS 7. Image building role ( it build image of a person as good or bad) 8. Defend propagandas of anti-state elements. 9. Builds public opinion. The elements of journalism According to The Elements of Journalism, a book by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, there are nine elements of journalism [1]. In order for a journalist to fulfill their duty of providing the people with the information, they need to be free and self-governing. They must follow these guidelines: 1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth. 2. Its first loyalty is to the citizens. 3. Its essence is discipline of verification. 4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover. 5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power. 6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise. 7. It must strive to make the significant interesting, and relevant. 8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional. 9. Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience. 10. Its the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

In the April 2007 edition of the book [2], they added the last element, the rights and responsibilities of citizens to make it a total of ten elements of journalism. Guiding principles of Journalism: Following are the guiding principles of journalism. 1. Journalist should always adopt rationale approach. 2. He should be neutral and impartial. 3. He should have a broad vision for journalism. 4. Journalist should remain updated with current events. 5. He should be scientific in his approach. 6. He should be professionally trained. 7. Journalist should be a patriot, familiar with norm, culture and taboos of society. 8. He should perform his duties in highest public interest.

Ethics of Journalism American society of newspaper editors (ASNE) prescribed the following canons of journalism in 1923 which are as follows. 1. Responsibility: The journalist should be a responsible man and perform his duties responsibly. 2. Freedom Of Press: Freedom Of press shall not be used as a weapon against any one. Journalist shall report the news in its true sense and shall not try to make someones image. 3. Independence: The policy of a newspaper should be independent and shall not favour any political or administrative figure. There shall be no bias and prejudices against any one. 4. Sincerity, Truthfulness And Accuracy: self explanatory 5. Impartiality: The newspaper editor shall show impartiality. He shall stand neutral in all cases. 6. Fair play: The journalist shall show a fair play. They shall not misuse their position and shall work in the best interest of society. 7. Decency: The journalist shall not give detail of any unethical crime.