Truth in Modern American Journalism

Good journalism like a good book unfolds over time. The best way to know the whole truth is to accumulate it. Truth often comes in fractions. Like a pie at Thanksgiving, one slice does not satisfy pumpkin cravings. Usually two pieces at night with a nap in between and then a slice for breakfast creates satisfaction. So it is with a news story. Often the more complete details of the story don’t come until the morning after when more information can be gathered and more sources referenced. I think American journalism does this very well on a large scale. However, many smaller papers do not have the funding required to investigate on long-term ventures. Companies can improve this through appropriate fundraising and/or sponsorship by willing larger companies.

Anonymous Sources in American Journalism

It is difficult to make a blanket statement for an issue that changes with each case. Every story is different and any source anonymous or not may be just what the story needs for its credibility and accuracy. However, if sources become a liability for anyone other than themselves then it is appropriate for them to come forward and release their name. Refraining from responsibility through an anonymous nameplate is cowardly and un-American. When journalists take the heat for so many other things, anonymous sources are the last place it should come from.

What do you think of the Daily Universe announcement to publish in print weekly?

Last week students at Brigham Young University sported collegiate clothing from all across the country. School spirit is alive and well in Happy Valley as demonstrated on campus in any color but blue. The same is true of its school paper. Why has the Daily Universe decided to reduce daily printing to a weekly issue? Perhaps the Brimhall Building has a green bug infestation and looks to reduce paper waste by cutting its circulation or maybe student journalists are turning their time to other productive projects. Whatever the reason, the Daily Universe fails to fulfill its responsibility as a school paper to create discussion and unity among the student body. If the paper invested more resources in group involvement and less on Tuesday’s devotional it would see an increase in its readership. The true waste is not the loss of a daily issue, but the worth of reading it.

Who are journalists?

Clark Kent, Vicki Vale, and Rita Skeeter dominate the Hollywood image of a journalist. Who are these investigative Olympians? They are the entertaining faces that capture the caricature of journalist characteristics. Vicki is the detective, Clark is the heart and Rita is the salesman a person must be in order to capture a story and turn it into news.

What is Journalism?

With effort and creativity a splash of ink becomes much more than a coffee coaster. For centuries the spread of pamphlets, newspapers, and stories connected citizens to their neighbors and separated them from their enemies. Now journalism reaches a new height. It calls to a global audience and connects people everywhere. From London’s morning tea to the Korea’s kimchi dinner, journalism is a means to spread ideas and promote positive change.