5 Functions of Journalism

A journalist is also a great storyteller

A journalist collects facts, researches, and investigates a subject matter, and based on a unique style, tells a story. A remarkable representation of a newsworthy or life happening event.

Imagine a story that grabs a reader's emotion so that the posture of language is remembered and shared. 

In this day and age, however, gone are the days when a newspaper landed on your doorstep bringing you the main source of news you looked forward to reading with your morning coffee.

Good journalism involves the style of presentation. It's a language that seems to flow like paint across a page. Of course, it's presented through any media source, particularly any online source these days.

I see journalism having five distinct functions as outlined below.

Function #1 - Information

With the Internet, anyone can publish anything whether it's self-publishing, posting videos, pictures, blogs, commenting on blogs, or generating a website that allegedly has all the answers. Gone are the days where people rely solely on local news channels for their daily reports because cable news running 24/7 has its share of competitors.

With all the current methods contributing to the supply of information whether trendy or trying to meet public demand, our fast-paced society needs it faster. 

Today, you can read the news on your favorite site online or app and if it's worth sharing, right-click, copy, and paste it in an email, blog, or social website. And you seize the experience of deep investigative reporting because you know when that pounds a good journalist's heart.

Readers with a short attention span can capture a dozen images on the internet and already know the story just by reading captions and not all these images necessarily depict high-quality photojournalism. The point is, however, these readers don't need to read the whole story.

Make an announcement on the internet and it spreads like wildfire and immediately becomes "news." But, was it factual and verified? There doesn't even have to be more than three paragraphs supporting the announcement attracting interested readers with short attention spans.

The internet continues to affect print media. Good journalists must feel challenged in today's society with the subject matter they have to work with so they can produce an acceptable piece that will invite and intrigue their readers. Imagine the pressure they are under to deliver news that is highly viable.

Function #2 - Increasing Public Awareness

A good journalist who is well-trained will gather up facts, information, and research and write on subjects to increase awareness for readers of all demographics. This journalist will develop a personal style so it even becomes recognizable with a readership base.

What has been referred to as citizen journalism is a means where communication on a variety of subjects soars through social media.

Function #3 - Interpreting the Facts

People generally believe what's in a newspaper because it's printed language. It's healthier to question what you're reading by gathering information from different resources before establishing an opinion. A reporter tries to provide facts in such a manner so as to persuade the reader to interpret the information based on the way it's being delivered. A good reporter needs to also verify gathered facts.

An article run on time.com in November 2010 entitled The End of 'Objectivity' written by James Poniewozik concluded with an appropriate closing:

The days of pretending that journalists are dispassionate infobots are ending. And that's good: trust built on openness is stronger than trust built on an agreed-upon fiction. We are seeing the death throes of the unsustainable concept of 'objectivity.' Long live the real thing.

Function #4 - Encouraging Decisions, Influencing Change & Shaping Public Opinion

Whether it is print media or an online source, buyers are influenced by advertising, alone, e.g., hairstyles, trendy seasonal wardrobes, and many, many other products such as pet food. People believe what they see in print, so language is a good tool of persuasion, marketability, or manipulation, whatever term you frequent the most.

Think about how the public mindset was transformed during and immediately after 9/11 by the mass media. This circumstance greatly influenced change for many people regardless of how complacent many others have become. This circumstance shaped a lot of opinions as a result and those opinions have evolved. The media journalistic reporting each anniversary is absolutely incredible, but they also have the time in between anniversaries to prepare.

With elections and all the effects which are reported on routinely encourage the public to who they might consider voting for by providing facts and drama. Lots of drama. Watch the behavior of all the cable news network channels as well as read and research to gather your information, however, before deciding.

Every time I watch local news, these channels help shape my opinion not to watch them anymore because it's basically limited to local occurrences and less detailed than world news on cable or streamed channels. It's like they're reading headlines that seem to involve a local death. Oftentimes, it doesn't seem to be a high enough overview of what is actually going on in the world. I promote reading every reputable source of information.

Function #5 - Entertainment Journalism

The sensationalism of entertainment shows increases ratings and it's really the formula these programs follow to give viewers what seems to be what they want. Is that great journalism?

Entertainment journalism has been growing at a high speed over the years, but I think that's attributed to the fact we live in a pop-culture society that is purely entertained by media coverage of favorite actors, singers, etc. and doesn't go out on a limb to redefine news or good quality reporting.

Perhaps the silver lining is the fact a reporter has the opportunity to meet a lot of celebrities. The best personal interviews of those in the entertainment industry I have seen have been presented on a Sunday morning popular broadcast hosted by Jane Pauley.

Regardless of the type of news you gravitate to, when I think about people who collect news from their neighbors without questioning any fact or getting involved with researching what they just heard, I go crazy. And crazier still is when they repeat what they just heard to somebody they work with and sell it like it's pure truth.

© Cathy Coombs