Crisis Point Goodman

Twenty-first century reporters fill the airwaves with “news” pertaining to facets of life entirely opposite of awareness and activism. When news regarding anything aside from the lives of celebrities or current pop culture does make the headlines, the story seems presented in a watered-down, somehow censored, fashion; leaving the reader asking more questions than they received answered. As the major methods of mass media become increasingly consumer driven, the great majority are presented with less mentally stimulating material called “news”. As a result, Americans are often less informed, and thus less willing to become involved in, political, social, and economic issues, nation and worldwide. Through the application of relevant and straightforward journalism, like that practiced by Ida B. Wells, the people of this country may be armed with the knowledge needed to have an effect on the events unfolding today that will affect tomorrow.

Cunningham cites a few specific examples of how objectivity has hampered journalism today. Only 12 out of 574 major network evening news reports confronted the issue of the Iraqi War aftermath. This obviously illustrates the hesitation the media has in questioning and speculating major political decisions. Generally, the press does not feel any obligation to call out politicians and elected officials about their decisions. Instead, some facts are reported, and no one is

The reflection period out of this conversation was for me shocking. As an engaged political person, I at least try to be engaged with the news. I find that CBS and New York Times are the most reliable news corporation out there with little to no bias at all, all facts. However, my colleagues find that the current mainstream news media are becoming either gossip, tabloid, or fake news channels. Respectively, I take offense to their beliefs on the basis that the news today is fake. Throughout history, it has been the news and investigative journalism that led to the many stories that transformed this nation into many shapes and forms. Without the news, a society will be at worst an anarchist society where nobody trusts each other or a tyrannical society where the populace will fall for anything that the state displays. It has been an American right of having open news sources, do Americans want to disregard this right in favor of being handed a silver platter of information from bias sources? Anyways, going back to

”The world is not responding to events in this country, but rather to the description of these events by news organizations. The key to understanding the strange nature of the response is thus to be found in the practice of journalism….” (Friedman, 2014)

In today’s society, remaining connected and knowledgeable of current events and the newest trends is vital to staying ahead in business, education, and social standing. This information is supplied to everyone through the internet, newspapers, television, and radio. One can tune into stations such as CNN, NBC, Fox News, Al-Jazeera, and many others (“SQs of Media Outlets”). In order to meet the needs of viewers, readers, and listeners, the ideal media system would contain accurate, quick information, with a purely impartial view on the facts as they are known. However, this modern media system has not maintained an objective view, pushing opinionated and slanted reporting onto the population in order to create profit and gain customers. The exploitation of information media for personal gain has created a toxic and inaccurate present, constant in today’s society.

The Ted talk, How the News Distorts our Worldview, aims to not only identify this problem, but highlighted why are networks are worse than ever on covering more international news. This large reason is the fact that covering united states news is not only easier, but cheaper on these networks. Therefore, they cover what is more cost efficient and leave out and this negativity impacts our society’s knowledge about other cultures. By not working to inform us they ultimately leave the U.S. population more susceptible to thinking in one-story like definitions about another

Nonetheless, Goodman condemns such a fresh platform as globalization or the weather. “Too often it seems as if professional foreign correspondents, the people…and other white noise into the mix.” The author uses a simile here to differ user-generated content from the professional news organizations, which can lead his audience better realize that news organizations have more credits and the fashions they follow present are filling with numerous uncertainties, such as “speculation, propaganda and other white noise” as Goodman presents in the passage. In addition, most celebrities in America is American and they study abroad less and they know informations less about another country than those professional journalists do, how can they have more authorities than news organizations do?

Mark Pedelty, who wrote War Stories: The Culture of Foreign Correspondents, explains in a chapter entitled “Objective Journalism” of the ways in which American correspondents are taught to report. Reports in newsmagazines in America are much different from everywhere else in the world. For America “objectivity remains the standard by which journalists are judged,” and this means journalists strive to obtain balance and fairness (Pedelty 171). Pedelty argues that objectivity is a utopian goal which is impossible to obtain, and secondly, objectivity and balance are two things that should not play a role in the reporting a journalist does. In countries all over the world newspapers and magazines are based on political lines and are biased in favor of their own viewpoints and agendas. Pedelty claims that these types of journalists, who report according to their own view points, in fact produce better reports that those Americans who strive for objectivity

Until the 1980s, the control of the media was in the hands of the national government. From then, the control shifted to private outlets and by the 1990’s, there were more than fifty multinational companies who controlled it (“Mass Media”). Today, only about six major companies control the larger fraction of media in America (Williams, Par. 1). Norman Solomon wrote in the New Political Science Journal that most reporters and editors work for just a few huge companies. These journalists and editors are on the payroll for “mega-media institutions”, of which, only about six exist (Solomon 297). How much will the public learn if these companies generally control the output of information?

Peter S. Goodman an american journalist claims that foreign correspondent reporters are very important to producing and supplying our foreign news, but yet the amount of them has decreased over the years due to the rigorous conditions of war and also recessions. Goodman, uses appeals to emotions of his readers as well as stylistic dialect to support his claims. Peter S. Goodman states that in an AJR surveyed conducted, “ found 307 full-time people...the count has dropped to 234”. He also expressed the mount of information being produced on foreign news had dropped severely. He stated’ “the space devoted to foreign news had shrunk by 53%”. Goodman, believes that foreign correspondents are very important and consequently, that this issue must

Goodman himself writes, “We are intent on forging fresh platforms for user-generated content: testimonials, snapshots and video clips from readers documenting issues in need of attention” (par. 7). The essence of Goodman’s argument is that nowadays, several people get involved with the idea of falsifying news and sources in order to get attention from the people, even though the information is not truthful at all. As a result, it is relevant that news organizations do something about the issue with foreign news before it starts affecting the world of journalism

Nowadays journalists have the responsibility to report facts as accurately, objectively, and disinterestedly as is humanly possible. ‘’The, honest, self-disciplined, well-trained reporter seeks to be a propagandist for nothing but the truth’’ (Casey, 1944b).

Rendell, Hart and Hollar have said broadcasting the truth can improve the world, while news that twists or denies realities of our existence can have momentous consequences. We believe this concept and to demonstrate it we have complied 3 major news stories since the year 2000 that have had a major impact on our society both nationally and internationally – and both for better or for worse. These three examples are not meant to be a collection of the most historic stories of the past 12 years; but rather to demonstrate the power the media holds. It’s no secret that journalism is under attack in a myriad of ways; particularly the notion that it deserves to exist as a governmental watchdog. Another river has feed into this

Edward J Epstein published a book entitled “News from Nowhere” in which he observed NBC’s news department and how decisions were made on what was news worthy. He discovered a decline in television network ratings and profits caused executives to change marketing strategies. This new direction in news reporting would be tailored to an audience low in sophistication with the network defining what would be newsworthy. Epstein wrote: “Dull and complicated stories would need to be of enormous importance to get on the air: but relatively trivial stories would make the cut if interesting enough”. (Edwards, p. 406). Supporting this observation Washington Post editors Leonard Downie Jr and Robert Kaiser argue that “Entertainment has pushed out information in the TV news business and that the history of TV news can be summarized in a couple sentences”. (Edwards, p. 406). An exception to this practice would be networks assigning their best reporters to cover major events or “Lead Stories” at well-established sources such as the White House, Congress, or the Pentagon. During the 1991 Gulf War, 50 per-cent of the stories came from these

In today¡¦s society journalism is under close scrutiny and is losing its credibility. Sensationalism effects both those who receive it in addition to those who report it. This essay will review the history of sensationalism in the media, clearly demonstrate how sensationalism effects ours views on journalism, and confront the ethical dilemmas that journalists must face between reporting objectively and reporting what sells. This will be accomplished by investigating various sources, including articles published on the Internet as well as those published in newspapers and magazines.