Topic 46: We can get knowledge from news, but some people think we cannot trust journalists. What do you think? What qualities do you think a successful journalist should have?

Today, it is important to note that the public has a growing appetite for different content areas of news, including national, local, entertainment, sports, politics, weather, and traffic news. With news becoming increasingly important, public attention has been brought to the creditability of journalists. In my opinion, it would be over-simplistic to say that journalists can convey all messages to the audience without distorting them.

Not surprisingly, whenever people talk of journalism, objectivity is the first word that springs to mind. Reporters are generally expected to disclose all facts and uncover all sides of an issue without introducing any bias, as opposed to commentators, who are allowed to provide personal opinions. However, in reality, objectivity is hard to achieve. Journalists have to succumb to either commercial or political pressure, distorting facts and misleading the public. In many countries, news organisations are controlled entirely by powerful political parties and enjoined to disregard the truth and disseminate information that guides public opinions.

Another factor contributing to the erosion of journalistic standards throughout the news business is that in these years, increasing weight has been given to following news values, entertainment, oddity and celebrity. To cater for the tastes of wider audiences, journalists can go so far as to twist the facts, fabricate news and spread rumours. Many news media have a clear preference on media personalities and use their public appeal to increase viewing rates, giving these publicities, who hardly remain neutral, numerous opportunities to express their opinions publicly on a subject in which they have a personal stake or bias. It is thus fair to say that news is now less trustworthy.

In general, a successful journalist should be first able to use careful judgement when organising and reporting information. Determination and persistence are required when journalists ought to defend the freedom of the press and ordinary citizens' right to know the truth, despite being under different forms of pressure. In addition, they should be sensitive to and interested in current affairs at all levels. In acting as successful communicators and information senders, journalists should also have a good command of language skills and a real knowledge of different cultures, countries, races and social groups.

As shown above, people have reasons to suspect the creditability of a journalist. Either as a medium that deliberately affects the public interest or as a form of entertainment that does not attach much importance to seriousness, journalism has failed to maintain objectivity and live up to ideals of journalistic responsibility. Without showing respect to freedom of express and conveying messages accurately and promptly to the public, one cannot be acclaimed as a qualified journalist.

1. appetite for = hunger for = craving for = desire for

2. creditability = reputation

3. talk of = consider = discuss = talk about = talk over

4. spring = bounce = bound

5. succumb to = yield to = give way to = surrender to

6. enjoin = instruct = command = direct

7. weigh = importance = significance = emphasis = stress

8. oddity = peculiarity = quirk

9. rumour = gossip = anecdote

10. neutral = unbiased = impartial = disinterested = dispassionate

11. bias = prejudice = preconception = preconceived notion

12. trustworthy = dependable = honest = reliable

13. seriousness = solemnity = gravity

14. ideal = principle

15. acclaim = praise-approve = commend

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1407