Journalism Fundamentals: Definition, Principles, and Commercial Realities

Journalism: An Overview (The American Press Institute) Journalism is defined as the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. It also encompasses the product resulting from these activities. It stands apart from other forms of communication due to its distinct purpose and practices. The core purpose of journalism is to furnish people with verified information, empowering them to make more informed and sound decisions. Its practices involve a systematic process meticulously focused on uncovering not only the bare facts but also the deeper truth underlying them. # The Elements of Good Journalism (Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2007) According to Kovach and Rosenstiel (2007), there are ten fundamental elements that characterize good journalism: 1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth. This principle underscores the foundational commitment of journalism to accuracy and fidelity to verifiable facts, serving as the bedrock upon which all other journalistic endeavors are built. 2. Its first loyalty is to citizens. Journalists are entrusted with a unique responsibility to prioritize the public interest above all else, ensuring that the information they provide serves the citizenry's needs and empowers their participation in a democratic society. 3. Its essence is a discipline of verification. This highlights the rigorous methodology essential to journalism. It's not enough to report claims; journalists must meticulously verify information through multiple sources, evidence, and critical assessment to establish its accuracy before dissemination. 4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover. To ensure objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, journalists must operate autonomously, free from undue influence, pressure, or allegiances to the individuals, organizations, or institutions they are reporting on. This independence is crucial for credible reporting. 5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power. A vital role of journalism is to act as a watchdog, scrutinizing those in positions of authority—whether in government, business, or other institutions—to hold them accountable and expose any abuses of power or wrongdoing in the public interest. 6. It must provide a forum for public hearing and compromise. Journalism should create spaces where diverse voices can be heard, public discourse can unfold, and different perspectives can engage in dialogue, fostering understanding and potentially leading to common ground and solutions. 7. It must strive to keep the significant interesting and relevant. Journalists face the challenge of making important, often complex, news compelling and accessible to a broad audience, ensuring that critical issues capture public attention and are understood in a meaningful context. 8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional. Reporting should offer a complete and balanced picture of events and issues, providing sufficient context and various perspectives without overemphasizing minor details or understating major developments. Proportionality ensures that the focus matches the actual significance of the story. 9. Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience. Journalists, as individuals, must have the ethical freedom to follow their moral compass, especially when faced with pressures that might compromise their integrity or the truth. This fosters ethical decision-making within the newsroom. 10. Citizens, too, have rights and responsibilities when it comes to the news. This final element recognizes that news consumption is not passive. Citizens have rights to accurate information but also responsibilities to be discerning consumers, critically evaluating sources, seeking diverse perspectives, and engaging thoughtfully with the news. # Advertising and Media – A Review In the U.S., media outlets largely operate as commercial enterprises. Their survival is contingent upon a consistent inflow of revenue, and advertising serves as their primary financial lifeline. This reliance on advertising profoundly impacts the nature of media content itself, influencing both what is produced and the amount of time or space allocated to it. Media organizations are thus compelled to create content that selectively attracts audiences desirable to advertisers. It is a critical distinction that not all audiences are valued equally, as advertisers target specific demographics and psychographics. # The Business Model of U.S. Media and Its Relationship to News The business model prevalent in U.S. media places audiences at its core, but in a fundamentally different way depending on whether one views it from a journalistic or an advertising perspective. * From the journalist's perspective: Audiences are primarily regarded as citizens. These citizens require and deserve verified facts to equip them with the necessary information to make sound, informed decisions about their lives, communities, and governance. The emphasis is on public service and empowerment through truth. * From the advertiser's perspective: For the advertisers who financially underpin the news organizations where journalists work, audiences are primarily seen as consumers. Their value lies in their potential to be marketed products to, making them targets for commercial messaging and sales. This divergence in audience perception creates inherent tensions within the media landscape. # News Values (Criteria for Newsworthiness) News content itself is often shaped by meeting specific criteria that are considered paramount by news managers and deemed most engaging to audiences. These criteria, referred to as