" A journalist is a vital part of the democracy" Essay by Cecilie D.Haug 2001 [references] Introduction This essay starts with defining what a democracy is. It then claims that journalists are a vital part of the democracy in that it provides the public with information and crucial background knowledge. The essay states that the press needs to be critical and questioning to sustain the democracy. The essay also says that freedom of speech is crucial for a democracy. It discusses the role of the journalist, the press and the media in the society. The media is a voice- tube for the people to have their say in current debates. The essay shows that the media can both support and diminish the democracy by the use of objectivity and bias. The essay also looks at the declination of political reporting and the reasons for this. The relationship between the media and its owners is also mentioned in this essay. A democratic society is by definition: �A country with principles of government, in which all adult citizens share through their elected representatives.� (Hornby, 1978: 160). The people elect a government, from the people and for the people. To elect suitable representatives the public needs information, context, facts and background knowledge. The people need to know whom they are voting for and what to expect from them. The press is the main source of information, and its purpose is to inform the public. Above else the media, in their various guises, provide channels of information and means by which that information can be interpreted and placed into context. If people are to govern themselves in a meaningful sense, they must be well informed (Mervin, 1998:6) � A full understanding of any modern democratic political system requires some grasp of the role of the media� (Mervin, 1998:6) Together with the legislative, executive and judiciary, the press is the 4th power of nation. It keeps a critical eye on politicians and public services. Journalists can direct attention towards neglected and unacceptable situations, thus �control� the political agenda and hold politicians to account for their actions. Freedom of speech is a crucial right in a democracy. The press must be able to question, criticise and report political decisions and the situations they cause. The public has a right to know what is going on and the press is providing the information. � A diverse, critical questioning media is an essential element within a democratic society� (NUJ, 22.10.2001). The press also functions as the peoples voice-tube. Through readers� letters and articles the public can create or attend discussions on current issues. This provides knowledge to other readers, and causes awareness in political areas. Journalists can force political statements, and the discussions caused may lead to changes in the society. This process is an important part of sustaining the democracy through the means of the press. � A democracy is only as strong as it citizens, and a good citizenship requires both knowledge and participation� (The Hansard Society, 2001) The press has great power over what the public is �allowed� to know, and in a sense control what people discuss and think. The media may influence the public to do something they otherwise would not have done, due to incomplete or biased information. This is a dangerous line to cross. The press must not abuse its place; it will then go from supporting the democracy to mocking it. Instead of reporting what Gore actually said, the complaint charges, the Times parroted the GOP claims and did not exercise "its normal journalistic or editorial function." The consequence was "to influence the outcome of the 2000 presidential election for the benefit of Republican candidate Gov. George W. Bush. (Dickenson, 22.10.2001) However, while the press is providing the public with important information, the political coverage in the media has been declining the last years. The remaining political news tends to be lightweight and not substantial enough. The newspapers have cut down on political coverage because the �citizens seem to be loosing faith in government and democracy� (The Hansard Society, 2001) and do not care about Parliamentary discussions. Another reason for the fallback on political reporting is that corporations who are more interested in profits than keeping the democracy alive own a big percentage of the press. This challenges the media�s responsibility to the public. The link between the press and politics remains a powerful one, but it is also true that changes in the organisation and ownership of the press, and the priorities given to reporting politics have changed. (NUJ, 22.10.2001) Despite the declination of parliamentary news, the press has not abandoned its role as a �watchdog�. It encourages debates, political statements and participation. Its main task in society is to inform, question and report. This is a vital part of keeping the democracy alive. The press keeps the discussions going, and therefore the democracy. Conclusion This essay has dealt with the role of the journalist in the democratic society. It has explained how the press is an important resource of information for the public, and how it benefits the democracy by shedding light on to political affairs. The media is the link between government and the people. The essay has given an explanation on the term �democracy�, and shown how the media has the power to either support or destroy it. The essay states that the media is the public�s main source of information. Without it criticising, questioning and reporting, the public would not have the same access to information, background knowledge and explanations as they do today. This shows that the journalist is a vital part of democracy; People need to know whom they are voting for and what kind of a job their representatives are doing. Without the press, freedom of speech and journalists the democratic society would not exist in its present form. The politicians would be calling the shots regardless of what the people want, and the main idea of the democratic principle would disappear. Journalists are the means, which carry the voice of the people to the ears of the politicians. |