September 24, 2005
The Elements (and Theory) of Journalism
The first few chapters of the book, The Elements of Journalism takes journalism into social and historical contexts. I think it was helpful to see how journalism evolved and to look for patterns to see where it is going. In the section marked, "A Free Press in the Electronic Age," the statement:
"The new journalist is no longer deciding what the public should know. She is helping audiences make order out of it."
-The Elements of Journalism
This has much philosophical value. Rather than become the "expert," the journalist becomes the medium through which the truth is passed. In communication theory, Reddy makes a case that information is interpreted and not simply received. The truth is not received in a coherent manner when a person reads the paper, but it must be interpreted by the reader.
I feel this ideal is empowering to the reader. By downplaying the role of the journalist (ie: excluding biases and involvment), the reader becomes the ultimate seeker of the truth. The reader can say whether a situation was right or wrong, good or bad, or just or injust.
Posted by EvanReynolds at September 24, 2005 8:39 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry: