Why journalism?

Journalism is being expanded and redefined with the rise of citizen journalists, bloggers and the 24-hour news cycle. So it may be somewhat surprising that most news gatherers still agree on the purpose of their profession: to provide people with the information they need to be free and autonomous, to make sound decisions, and to order the world around them. As the Supreme Court reminded us when it supported the right of The New York Times to publish the Pentagon Papers, the press’ duty is to the people, not the powers that be. Most journalists take this duty very seriously and wince when people accuse them of being corporate lackeys just trying to make a buck for their employer.

The news media should be bull dogs constantly nipping at the heels of public figures, forcing them to justify their actions and be accountable to the public. As a keystone institution of free and democratic societies, the free press should tirelessly seek to give the powerless a voice in the public debate. But with the trend of consolidation of media ownership in the hands of a few mega-rich corporations, the independence of news organizations has been called into question.