Journalism at times is referred to as “the fourth estate,” a segment of society that wields an indirect but significant influence on society even though it is not formally recognized as part of the political system. It is seen by some as being imperative to the functioning of a healthy and just society.
Thomas Jefferson, writing from Paris in 1787 to his friend Edward Carrington, on the eve of the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, “The people are the only censors of their governors: and even their errors will tend to keep these to the true principles of their institution. To punish these errors too severely would be to suppress the only safeguard of the public liberty. The way to prevent these irregular interpositions of the people is to give them full information of their affairs thro’ the channel of the public papers, and to contrive that those papers should penetrate the whole mass of the people. The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”
Jefferson’s letter expanded on the nature of European governments that had divided the nation into two contending classes where the government was like wolves who devoured the wealth of the people, who were like sheep. Jefferson warns Carrington that all governments, even the new American government of which they themselves were members, unless checked by a knowledgeable citizenry, would inevitably become wolves.
David Brewer, a journalist and media strategy consultant who set up and runs Media Helping Media suggests that, “Perhaps Jefferson was right in suggesting that journalists are more important to society than politicians. Perhaps, in some societies, the politicians know and fear that.”
“What is clear,” continues Brewer, “is that the relationship between journalists and politicians can have a significant impact on the functioning of a fair and just society. Politicians make decisions and take action on behalf of the public. Journalists scrutinize those decisions and report the implications to the public”. …or, at least, that’s the original role of the journalist.
Sometimes it’s true— reporters do hold to high journalistic standards. There are certainly many in this community who wish that’s what reporters would do, hold politicians accountable and inform the public.
Unfortunately, those in positions of power are fully aware, if they can just control the media and the messaging—at least the perceptions—it will make achieving their agenda all that much easier.
Shalini Singh, an Indian journalist who was principal correspondent for The Week newsweekly in Delhi, was invited to speak at a panel discussion “Mass Communication or Mass Manipulation?” which was held at the Delhi College of Arts and Commerce on Monday, February 15, 2016. She was rudely interrupted and shut down within minutes of her speech, demonstrating that “intolerance and blocking the expression of alternate views is a national malaise [illness], in which a large mass of people of all hue and color and possible Congress loyalties are also major offenders.”
David Brewer instructs media, “In democracies, the role of the journalist is supposed to be to inform the public debate so that the audience can make educated choices. The role of politicians is supposed to be to represent those who elected them and to ensure that the concerns of that electorate are listened to, considered, and, where appropriate, acted upon.
“In such a political system, the journalist should act on behalf of the audience to ensure that politicians do their job. The journalist should be exploring and covering the issues that most concern their readers and listeners. In doing so they should include a diversity of voices and political opinions in order to offer the richest and most complete coverage possible. If they achieve that, they are more likely to offer journalism that enhances understanding and encourages dialogue and debate.”
Singh agrees, “A journalist’s only obligation is to the truth. Truth that can be verified in public interest. And journalism is only reliable when it is delivered by a journalist who is independent in mind and spirit.”
Singh’s journalistic integrity, however, has met resistance from the gatekeepers of newsrooms.
“They doubted my sources, dismissed the verification of facts as opinion, even going so far as to say I didn’t know how to write. This was despite my then tenure of 16 years with no legal notice to my name till date, despite challenging the richest and most powerful people in the country.
“It is in this backdrop of hostility and complete scorn for the truth that I still continued to deliver stories. I was told that newspapers didn’t support campaign journalism or activism so basically I learned that it’s not okay to be identified as an activist journalist in India. Such a label is a matter for ridicule and not honor. Once you are given such a tag, your colleagues will persistently suspect your motives, ignore your research and dismiss you for being emotional, and all of this is aimed at destroying the journalist professionally.”
David Brewer cautions against being, “Manipulated by those who fear probing, rigorous and skeptical journalism. Pressured into self-censorship due to pressure to take a positive view of news. This could lead to the ‘constructive journalist’ becoming little more than a public relations machine having been stripped of their role in scrutinizing, questioning, and holding the powerful to account. The constructive journalist allows those with something to hide to keep their secrets and becomes a messenger for those who are setting the ‘constructive’ and ‘positive’ news agendas.”
Singh concludes, “Through these years, I continued to counter the anger of colleagues, since investigative journalism also hits at the interests of beat reporters who survive by protecting their sources and keeping them happy. And the only way to do that is by not telling the real story and preventing others from doing so as well.
“This journey, painful as it has been, has only confirmed for me my core belief: that the only reward for any work, particularly journalistic work, is the work itself. The effect of undertaking such work is that such journalists are pushed to the fringes by their own community.
“Such punishment, such sacrifices cannot be undertaken by the faint hearted. Eventually, journalism or any other profession can only achieve its purpose of serving humanity if it attracts the best people. The best people are those who are strengthened by a deeply spiritual core. This makes the discussion of character, conduct and spirituality even more relevant in a world of ever-expanding and dissenting voices. But it is a discussion that doesn’t seem to interest too many people.”
Journalist Ernest Hemingway observed, “The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.”
Former Cook County Commissioner Garry Gamble is writing this ongoing column about the various ways government works.
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