Millennium Park, ChicagoWhy do so many people harbor such resentment against the press?
If asked, a press-hater might respond that TV and newspapers forage for human suffering so that the mega-rich parent companies will profit. Another might add that the media occlude discussion on issues of real importance while only reporting information the government and the influential corporate interests deem acceptable.
While both these criticisms have value, a community without a functioning free press modeled on the First Amendment is nowhere any of us would want to live. The press is a fundamentally important check on the power and ego of public figures and officials. Any newspaper worth its salt understands that its loyalty must be to the readers. So every decision to publish or not to publish must take into account the public's right to know and the importance of wide open, robust debate in a democratic society.
Journalists have a hard job. Not only is life riddled with deadline pressure, the daily news cycle requires the news person to be on-call like a doctor, but for a fraction of the salary. The consolation is that journalists have incredible power. Writers of all kinds, but perhaps especially daily news writers, are in a position to shape the national discussion about important issues. Writers create culture, shape the public perception and dictate societal priorities.
The power of the press is not lost on those who wish to monopolize power in society. That's why every authoritarian regime moves quickly to restrict the media. (Check out the Cuban News Agency to see government censorship of the press in action, and conversely, check out the El Universal newspaper in Venezuela that staunchly opposes Hugo Chavez).
So as journalists, we must take our jobs dead seriously. At every opportunity we should ensure that our loyalty is to our readers. As teachers for the masses, journalists get a lot of flack, but we are in a unique position to impact the way the public feels about important issues. Perhaps it is precisely this power of the press that underlies the ever-present public distrust of the media. We have a responsibility to use the power wisely.
