What is the importance of journalism?
OPINION PIECE by Chris LaFreniere
Why is it vital that it be hard-hitting and factual?
The role of a journalist, a true journalist, is that of a trusted place in society; they are essentially the gatekeepers of what’s happening around us locally, nationally, and globally. We’ve come to rely on them. However, there are those out there that pervert the importance and the sanctity of reporting what’s going on in and around our world. Depending on what form you’re reading or viewing the news through, you may be getting weekly, daily, or even hourly updates on current events, and with that quantity of news bombarding you, it’s essential to be the beacon of truth amidst the clickbait and slander.
There exists a contractual obligation within journalism to report the facts, don’t exaggerate them, and keep it centered around verifiable information. One critical factor to take into account, If you’re working on an article on “X” and while vetting the story, you find that the story isn’t good, you have an obligation to do 1 of 3 things either 1) Drop the story, 2) Explain why the story is false and follow up with the truth behind the story. Or the least moral option 3) Run the story anyways because of “ratings!” With that said, depending on your choice, you may diminish your integrity and consequent reputation as an honest journalist. However, when you lose your ability to be relevant and demonstrate integrity, you’ll also lose your loyal audience, and your job is not far behind on that list. Having said that, unfortunately, there will always be a crowd of people who eat it up because it’s juicy and sensational. So you may live to fight another day, but the people who aren’t asleep will be well aware of the blight facing them.
Build Trust. Don’t Lose It!
When writing anything, remember it takes a lifetime to build trust and only one misleading article to break it. Why is this important? Because your word is everything in the field of publishing the written word. If you can’t get the general public to believe you from a genuine place of understanding and belief, you’ve already lost the battle. So do your due diligence, vet the story, don’t inflate it, and don’t try to put people over a barrel for unjust causes. If they did it, report it. If they’re getting away with a verifiable crime, expose it. No one is above the law, regardless of their status locally, nationally, or globally.
(Publisher’s sidenote-Years ago, a sportswriter who worked for me, plagiarized another paper’s sports. I had to fire him. His writing of sports, disappeared.)
Regularly, honest Journalists are breaking credible news stories for every unjust tabloid and Publication. These individuals are the type to come at controversial topics and dig their teeth in until they get to the bottom of it—essentially deemed Investigative Reporters. They come in all sizes at that. Some break local stories, while others break Monumental stories like the Watergate scandal. But as the sands of time slip away, it becomes more evident that a sect of people aren’t truly interested in hearing the news as long as what’s being reported tickles their ears and makes them feel secure.
They Genuinely don’t want to hear how bad things are getting in our country and around the globe. You can almost physically see the blinders go up when you attempt to do so. And they stop listening to what you have to say. Should we, as Christians, worry or fear about the state of our nation’s leaders and governmental agencies? No, we should not be fearful. Worried? Not necessarily. Cautious? Maybe. Concerned? Definitely! But not fearful…
When we think of journalism, we sometimes put it on a pedestal. Of what it should be, what it could be. But we sometimes miss the point of what it actually is. During the process of writing and researching this article, I got a hold of Lee Johndrow, the owner of this very newspaper, “Positive News for You,” and asked him a handful of questions with regard to journalism. He was more than agreeable to answer my questions and help out in any way he could with the process.
Lee Johndrow, in front of his “Positive News For You” vehicle
I ask out publisher some questions!
This was the conversation between us:
Q: 1) What was it that got you into journalism in the first place?
A: “My grandfather was a newspaperman in the 20s-30s. We always had news in our home: newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV. For years, I worked with former journalist who worked at Gannett Newspapers. It escalated from there until in the mid-90s I purchased a friend’s news paper. Over the next 15 years, I owned 6. From 1996, I was developing news magazines on the internet. And here we are. I love news, communication, and education.”
What a testament to a family legacy of reporting the news and, from what I can tell, doing it from a morally ethical place! Lee is obviously quite knowledgeable as it relates to various forms of media. Especially to have owned 6 Newspaper publications.
Q: 2) What has been your proudest moment while operating as a journalist and having experience running a newspaper?
A: “In the early 2000s, I began to put us in a position to put together events that helped the community. One of the most amazing events was a Talent Contest. We rented the local opera house that seated 600 people. We brought in writers that covered the music and entertainment industry. With standing room only, we brought 40 acts together and were the talk of the town for months. If we only talk about journalism itself, it was the continued coverage of amazing people. Artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and more from around the world.”
This is what Journalism should be. Reporting things that either bring value to the world or bring corrupt people to justice. But largely in part, this world already has enough rain clouds following people around. So that’s why there is such value in this newspaper and the overall mission of the paper.
Q: 3) What advice would you give to aspiring journalists?
A) “Find a niche that makes money and stick to it. The world has such a short news cycle, it is news that brings people together that is important.”
This last part is critical; if you plan on writing for any length of time, you’re going to want to write about a topic that interests you, something that you’re knowledgeable about… or both. Keep in mind you’re not going to start out with thousands of followers. Everybody starts somewhere, So stay humble.
Chris is a freelance writer living in Maine.
Chris LaFreniere
From an early age, Chris LaFreniere became interested in the written word, as well as finding his voice. He was quite regularly told by teachers, both in a positive way as well as a negative way, that his style of writing was akin to the way he thought. In one encounter with a teacher, she advised him that he should go into journalism because she believed he would do well.
Chris has been writing for close to a decade now, starting off as simply a way to get his views and opinions out via a blog, which over time has morphed into a more polished style as well as a new arena. One of which some individuals have referred to as “citizen journalism.” Writing is a passion for Chris and a place where he truly believes he’s found his voice. He also presently works as a copywriter.
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