CDZ What is the role of journalism in our society?

[there4eyeM]

Journalism is important in that at least information is gathered and disseminated. It is the job of the consumer to parse and categorize intelligently. If that were done, and journalists thus held to a higher standard, journalism would improve accordingly. The journalism business is in part to blame for the sad state of things, but so is the public. It should be demanded of the education system to better educate not just to be able to read but how to read.

 

[Boatswain2PA]

Journalism is important in that at least information is gathered and disseminated. It is the job of the consumer to parse and categorize intelligently. If that were done, and journalists thus held to a higher standard, journalism would improve accordingly. The journalism business is in part to blame for the sad state of things, but so is the public. It should be demanded of the education system to better educate not just to be able to read but how to read.

You bring up two industries (journalism and education) which, over the past 40 years, have two things very much in common. #1) Both have been run into the ground in terms of quality, output, and effectiveness, and #2) Both are bastions of liberalism.

 

[there4eyeM]

Is 'liberalism' synonymous with 'vested interests'?

 

[Boatswain2PA]

Only in today's terminology, however the today's "liberals" are, in reality, classical leftists with no tolerance for anyone who believes other than they do, and encourage the government's use of force to ensure compliance with their beliefs. I think Al Gore just said something about how he thinks global warming "deniers" (or, maybe it was "climate change" deniers) should be "punished".

 

[|electric|foxy|]

Only in today's terminology, however the today's "liberals" are, in reality, classical leftists with no tolerance for anyone who believes other than they do, and encourage the government's use of force to ensure compliance with their beliefs.

with no tolerance for conservatives who have no tolerance for anyone too?

 

[there4eyeM]

The role of journalism can also include the editorial facet. This is where we see the face of the publication and whom is serves. As mentioned above, readership has its responsibilities and editorials above all must be view through eyes that are capable of evaluation and discernment.

What is insidious is the use of essentially editorial language in the very headlines, where adjectives and code words become mixed with what could and should be neutral vocabulary.

That, I would say, is not the role of major journalism. A hometown newspaper is one context, but CNN, BBC, etc., is another. Interjecting catch phrases and references should be out of bounds on the front page and in headings, at least.