Politics and Journalism

The first level of Government is known as the Federal Government. More information about the Government of Australia can be found here. 

The Second tier of Government is known as the State Government more information about the State Government can be found here.

Third Tier of Government is known as the Local Government, more information can be found here.

The speaker is in the lower house. President is in the upper house. Leaders, Prime Minister, Premier, Leader of the Opposition. Senior members of government are ministers of portfolios who meet in cabinet (Minister for Defence, Minister for National Affairs etc). Opposition has 'shadow cabinet.'

Politicians have special Privileges

Including absolute privilege to say what they like while house is in the session.

This means: Free speech in parliament, Protection from the deframation laws, Journalists can quote from Hansard without fear of prosecution for defamation.

Common Law - Made by courts / judges when they interpret law and make rulings.
Statue Law - Made by parliament when passed bill becomes an act.

Investigative Jurnalism

Investigative journalism help right wrongs. It exposes cover-ups, crime, protects and fosters democracy, exposes incompetence, reveals dark secrets and is challenging / rewarding for journalists.

Two key factors that work against investigative journalism in Australia:

• Australian Laws - especially defamation laws. 
• Financial Costs - Company searches, legal advice and Journalists' wages / costs.

Not all investigations are expensive. Recent successful investigations have cost little or nothing.

Some stories have changed our world:

• Watergate - Led to the resignation of the US president. 
• Mt Erebus disaster - Exposed attempted cover-up of a tragic NZ plane crash. 
• CSR / James Hardie asbestos - exposed corporate negligence in Australia. 

A desire to dig up dirt is needed.

Leading Australian investigative journalists include; Bob Bottom writing for Fairfax newspapers (Exposed organised crime in NSW), Phil Dickie of the Courier-Mail (exposed police / political corruption in QLD), Chris Masters of Four Corners (Investigated corruption at many levels).

• Journalists literally make news by being proactive, conducting research and discovering information, talking to people / cultivating sources, writing agenda-setting articles. 

Investigative Journalitss should have some or all tof hte key qualities below:

• Resourceful, Thoughtful, Persistent, Intuitive, Making time for investigation. 

Finding time to investigate is challenging.

Many investigative stories takes, weeks, months or years to compile. 

How do Journalists Investigate

Define what is to be investigated: But be flexible, directions can change.
Do broad background research; check news archives, researching online.
Seek primary documents and resources. 
Consider what research reveals.
Check facts.
Legal knowledge and seeking legal advice are all essential.
Follow the money trail.
Consider the chronology of events.

Media Scrums

Media Scrums in Journalism are a common thing on big stories.

Errors and Corrections are made in news stories all the time.

• Mistakes are a fact of life. 
• Problems can arise if mistakes are not corrected. 
• Admission of error - corrects in accurate information, neutralises damage and provides an explanation / apology.

Regulatory Mechanisms - Internal codes of conduct - 'in-house', Print media in Australia also accountable to the Press Council, Radio and TV ultimately answerable to the ACMA. MEAA is the Australian Journalists' Association (AJA) has a code of ethics.

MEAA members engaged in journalism commit themselves to; Honesty, Fairness, Independence & Respect for the rights of others.

Ethics and Social Responsibility

Some things can be legal, but unethical. Is a story a matter of public interest? What benefit will the public receive? Police may ask journalists not to report on a particular issue, Chequebook journalism (accepting money for work), Treat people with sensitivity and courtesy, Balance between privacy issues and press freedom, new technology aids the invasion of privacy.

Privacy

Publicity can help solve a crime. The right to know and the right to privacy. Do people involved in newsworthy events forfeit their right to privacy.

New technology and privacy

Listening devices, Camera phones, Manipulating digital images, legal issues.

Race, sex and religion

Is it ever relevant to report on a person's race, Is it ever relevant to report on a person's sexual persuasion.
 
Equity and Responsibility

Recognise religious and ethnic sensitivity towards words / phrases. People with a disability are, and should be portrayed as, part of the community.

Homosexuality should not be portrayed as abnormal.

Potholes for the unwary

Conflict of interest - When should someone else do the story?

Gifts and freebies - assumption of influence.

Advertising - to what extent should media outlets please advertisers.

Should journalists hold back from joining clubs and community organisations.

Let the reader decide

Often there are no black and white answers because many situations are different.

Journalists only have one real master - the public.

The purpose of defamation law

We all have a duty to avoid unnecessarily damaging someone's reputation as a result of your work.

It can be written or spoken words, a photograph, drawing or comic.

Defences - Truth, known as justification, qualified privelege, publication of public documents, fair report of proceedings of public concern, honest opinion, triviality, innocent dissemination.

Second Assignment Submission of JN1005 - Homelessness on the Rise for Families

I've just submitted my second assignment for JN1005. I'm not whether I've done as good job as I did on my previous story where I got a HD, 93 per cent.

The story I submitted was a story on Homelessness in Townsville and how it's on the rise throughout Australia in general. My story's angle is the growing number of families that are being affected by Homelessness as a result of many complicated issue, too many issues to be spoken about in 8 - 9 pars.

I have published the news story online at www.mysuburbannews.com.au where already in less than 24 hours it has had over 150 views.

Computer Assisted Reporting

Computer Assisted Journalism is the use of computers for gathering of data and information.

This data and information can be used to, generate story ideas and existing story content (research / investigate journalism). Also helpful in finding people to interview.

What is Computer-Assisted Reporting (CAR)?

At a basic level, it is something most journalists do today – use computers to help find information for stories.

At a more complex level, it is finding information many people do not know exists.

It is also about researching online without being fooled by false information.

It is about interpreting statistics.

What CAR is not

Car is about online news gathering and research (or input) – it is not about online publishing. It’s about the input.

Levels of CAR

At its shallowest level CAR is about going online to check a fact, find a phone number, or contact someone by email.

And its most complex level, it requires journalists to ‘dig’ for information to inform stories by using computers to analyae complex databases and statistics. 

More Basics

The web is a service that runs on the internet network topology.

The web is not a lawless frontier - there have been some monumental lawsuits resulting from online defamation.

There have also been major problems with breaches of sub judicial contempt on the web.

Something that may be legally safe to publish in one jurisdiction may be fraught with danger legally in another - for example, the Gutnick defamation case.

Don't make a fool of yourself

'Lifting' information you find online is highly dangerous - questions about ethics and plagiarism aside, fines for breach of copyright can be up to about $60, 000 for an individual and $300, 000 for a company.

It is as important to check your facts in the online world as it is in the real world.

Do not take online information at face value unless it is from a totally trustworthy site.

If you are tricked by a hoax, it could be the end of your career.

Verifying what your find online

• Look at the address of the website.
• Ask who put the information online?
• Is the author mentioned on the website? 
• Does the website have contact details? 
• Is there a street address as well as an email address? 
• Does the author have the authority to be saying that they have put online?
• Read the content - Is it plausible or does something seem wrong with the content or how it is written?
• Is there a street address and a fixed-line telephone number? 

Searching newspaper archives

A good way to find background information. You have to be an insider, a student with access via a university library. You can expect to pay upwards of $1.75 per article downloaded when searching News Limited or Fairfax papers.

One such news archive is www.newstext.com.au.  

Tips for web searching

There is more to the web than Google, Think carefully about the search terms, use advanced searches, make a habit of Boolean searching, Use meta-search engines.

Searching the hidden web can reveal - original documents, documents which were prepared or created in the past but which are no longer generally available. Photographs and recordings as well as written information. Court documents, government documents.

Use resources designed for Journalists - http://www.journoz.com, Computer Assisted Reporting.

Writing for Audio

"Visual storytelling" is surprisingly written for the EAR and not for the eye.

How it differs from text and Online

• Sentences ten to be short and contain only one idea at a time. 
• No opportunity for listeners to 'replay' what they heard.
  Tends to follow 5-word sentences.
• Best to alternate short and longer sentences.
• Sentence fragments are acceptable; e.g. Bad news for Townsville shoppers, Townsville has opened up their new basketball stadium. 

Ground Rules

Audio stories contain fewer details, usually feature just one key fact of the 5Ws and a H. Tell it like a friend would; must be conversational. Audio leads put a premium on ACTION!e.g.  instead of "6 people went missing..."; you would write: "Coast Guard rescue teams are searching for 6 people lost in the sea..."

SVO = Subject Verb Object - Present tense for online/print or radio.

Summary leads don't always 'work.' Try instead a MAIN POINT lead. (Strives to deliver the major impact of the story quickly)

Soft lead - Delays the main point of the story. Which eases listeners or viewer with a teaser. Good for lighter news stories; or very complicated ones.

Throwaway Lead - offers even less information than a soft lead.

Umbrella Lead - Equivalent of multiple element leads. Which can tie together 2 or 3 main ideas in one story or tie together 2 or 3 seperate stories.

Delayed lead - Follows the chronology.

Question lead - Poses a question of general interest to introduce the point of the story. It's job is to set up the story.

Planning to head to the beach this weekend? You might have to get an early start as traffic is expected.

Humor Lead - Can help draw audiences in, or it may not if its no genuinely funny.

Drives should be experiencing less gas pain soon. An increase in cruid oil supply.

Online News: Journalism's Strands Converge

Convergence - Definitions

• One conglomerate operating different media in one area. 
• Cross-promotion of the same product across different media.
• Reporting a story in different ways to suit different media.

Convergence and the Tampa model allow journalists to work together across different media platforms in one building.  This allows for shared content, new advertisers, possibilities for increased revenue and improved quality of reporting.

Flaws in this model of convergence:

Few journalists are capable of working across three or four different media platforms.Inappropriate content is produced for each medium.

The influence of the web:

Such a powerful tool at the disposal of news organisations world-wide. Each medium is able to use the web to increase it's audience.

It offers an interactive environment where people can comment on stories or correct facts by emailing the journalist.

Part of the uptake in online media is driven by faster internet.

Working in a traditional medium, plus the web is the logical scenario. Multi-skilling is important for job satisfaction.

New Technology on Mass Media


New technology provides new challenges. The concept of news-on-demand. The online audience can "cherry-pick" its news. Ordinary people can submit their footage of news events using their digital cameras and mobile phones.

Matt Drudge was a well-known citizen-journalist. Tradition media no longer having a monopoly of news. 400, 000 hits a day on the news story.

Repurposed web content, news portals, immediacy - no time restraints. Content supplied to PDAs and mobile phones.

Writing news for the Web

Standard news reporting rules apply. Short paragraphs, no set work length, use of language - international audience, careful word use. Awareness of cultural and ethnic differences.

Advertising and Converging online makes more money. News consumers will mould the future.

News Gathering - Reporting from various Sources

Deadlines:

• Breaking news posted almost immediately.
• Online = a new challenge.
• Deadlines MUST be met. 
• Articles are submitted online before print. 

Online and offline: 

•  Newspapers less reliant on breaking news stories.
• Online reports breaking news. 
• Do newspapers have more analysis and comment?

News gathering

• Difficulty proportional to value. 
• No difficulty = something to sell. 
• People who offer incentives to publish, or not publish something do not have the public interest at heart.

Journalism and PR

• PR a news-gathering obstacle or a great assistance to journalists?
• In 1996 Australian employed 7000 PR practitioners and 4200 mainstream journalists. 

 The editorial pecking order:

1. Managing editor or editor-in-chief.
2. Editor.
3. Deputy Editor or associate editor.
4. News editor.
5. Chief-of-Staff.
6. Journalists.

Should a story be pursued? 

Will it be useable/is it worth the effort/what about other story ideas not yet assigned? Legal risks? Will other media run the same story/has a similar story be done recently.

The process of reporting and writing has six steps: 

News thinking: Getting ideas, Collecting information: Reporting the story, News thinking II Focus: Thinking of stories, Order: Mapping the story, Revise: Rewriting for readers and viewers.

One of the ways in which a reporter may develop ideas is by participating in a brainstorming session held by most news organisations.

Organized by the editor earl in the morning. Reporters maintain an up-to-date contact book / diary of contacts in various fields.

A few rules

Strive for balance - all sides of the story. Be fair and give people a right of reply. Always carry a notepad, pens and a tape recorder and extra batteries.

Basics of Reporting: Sources from an Interview

Why some find Interviewing Difficult: 

• The perception of being taught to respect their elders.
• They must now put themselves on equal footing with older people. 
• Some interviewees are scary. 
• They must ask challenging questions of people who do not like being challenged. 
• Some interviewees lie

How to interview as a new-gathering tool:

Interviewing is the most common news-gathering tool. Though sources need to be trustworthy. Interviewees often have an axe to grind while other interviewees lie or exaggerate. Some give true but misleading answers while others fear journalists.

Detecting Lies:

Becoming aware of body language. Listen for contradictory answers. Ask yourself if answers match facts as you know them. Develop your own lie detector! Ask difficult but well researched questions you already know the answers to.

Interviewing Skills:

When interviewing a journalist must: take legible notes, interpret comments, think of the next question(s), be alert for points that might make a good intro, maintain some eye contact, listen for hints (an interviewee knows more then they say), trust their intuition about an interviewee.

Getting an Interview:

• Be courteous and polite. 
• Develop a good telephone manner.
  
• Research so you are knowledgeable when requesting an interview. 
• Try to avoid PAs and PR minders and make direct contact with interviewees. 
• Explain why you need the interview.

When things are not going well:

• Try to contact a prospective interviewee at home, at another work number, on a mobile telephone. 
• Try a third party.  They might recognise an interview's importance and convince a prospective interviewee to speak. 
• 'Door stop' the person.

Before an Interview: 

• Conduct a thorough background research. 
• Prepare a list of key questions.
• Dress appropriately. 
• Check your sound recorder, also ensure you have a notebook and spare pens. 
• Plan to arrive on time without rushing.
• Turn off your mobile phone! 

The Interview:

Ask open ended questions which require more than 'yes/no' responses.
Listen carefully for throw-away lines.
Do not be afraid to ask questions.

Telephone and email interviews:

• Telephone interviews tend to be superficial and brief, but sometimes that is all that is needed. 
• Email interviews have a place too - specially for interviewing people in different time zones - but there is no one tone of voice and no spontaneity. 

Common interview problems:

• Compulsive talkers. 
• Minders who answer for the talent. 
• People who answer questions which were not asked.
• Interviews with more than one person at once - for example, at accidents.
• Interviewees who switch between on an off record responses.

Remember a direct quote can be directed into a paraphrased quote. 

Writing the Lede (Lead)

A "led"e is the first sentence of your writing. It is also spelled, "lead" - both are accepted spellings and pronounced, "LEED."

Depending on whether you are writing a hard or soft story, a lede should reflect the content of your article.

Remember: Always write in the active, and not passive voice! Something happening to someone is not news. Someone doing something is news. 


Passive: The sandwich was eaten by the boy.


Active: The boy ate the sandwich.


The lead sentence is constructed in the following form, Subject, Verb, Object. Think SVO when constructing your lead sentence and following sentences where points are outlined. 


Write a lead of between 20-25 words:

You are writing for a newspaper near this accident. 

• Whow: QR’s train called the  Queensland Surfer 
• What:  Collided with a train loaded with sugar cane 
• When: 5:50am today 
• Where: at the crossing near Innisfail 
• Why:  John Bloke, QR spokesperson: The sugar cane train loaded with sugar cane as well as QR’s train were both northbound. The sugar cane train run a stop sign. 
• Other Information: At least 1 in serious condition (QR passenger), sugar cane driver in shock brought to hospital, and at least 12 passengers with minor injuries, treated at site.

A serious accident involving a Queensland Rail (QR) train and Suger Cane train on a crossing near Innisfail has caused at least 1 serious injury and 12 minor injuries on QR passengers. ~~~ Too many adjectives. 

• Who:  7 year old boy missing for 2 years
• What: found
• Where: Crocodile Creek
• When: Last night, around 8:30
• Why: unknown as of press time
• How: A neighbour recognized the child’s picture when it was shown on Crimestoppers ‘have you seen them? Segment in last night’s WIN News program at 6. 
• Other information: Police arrested the boy’s mother, Ellen Lynn Conner, 27; she faces Victorian charges of kidnapping and interference with a custody warrant.

A boy has been found after two years near Crocodile Creek after a neighbor recognised the boy's face. ~~~ Too Vague.

• Who: 40 passengers
• What: evacuated from a Virgin Blue Airlines jet, Flight 428
• Where: at Cairns International Airport
• When: Wednesday following a flight from Perth to Cairns
• Why: A landing tower employee spotted smoke near the wheels
• How: unknown
• Other information: There was no fire or injuries; the smoke was caused by hydraulic fluids leaking onto hot landing brakes, according to Bob Gibbons, a Virgin Blue spokesperson.

A Virgin Blue aircraft was evacuated yesterday at Cairns International Airport after a landing tower employee spotted smoke near the aircraft's wheels.

The 40 passengers of flight 428 were evacuated from the Virgin Blue flight that originated from Perth.


Investigations into the incident found the cause of the smoke was a result of leaking hydraulic fluid. 
Virgin Blue spokesperson, Bob Gillons believes that the smoke was caused by hydraulic fluids leaking onto the hot landing brakes.       (Don't make up direct quotes)

Writing for print, broadcast and online

Is it what the editors say is news? But this view suggests only senior journalists have the capacity to determine what news is.

At the core of writing is news judgment which is a valuable asset a journalist should have, is it news worthy.

News writing is disciplined writing which involves using exactly the right words to convey specific meanings. Words are able to convey moods and feelings as well as facts. News writing once mastered is an extremely valuable skill and never forgotten.

Remember News writing is more than telegraphic, but less than a short-story.

Broadcast Journalism - Came after tradition print journalism. Old definitions of BJ only referred to news coming from radio and television. Today it includes online news, news delivered to mobile phones and personal digital devices, datacasting, interactive television and radio. Broadcast journalism like in networking is a distribution / delivery system.

Broadcast News is made up of the following

• Broadcast news is telling. 
• No array of facts - especially figures - can be thrown at a listener.
• Each sentence ideally should contain only one idea or image. 
• Sentences generally should be brief.
• Natural.

What is a news lead?
A news lead unlike a novel is based on one main idea - this main focus is the lead.The reporter decides what the lead of his/her story is. The editor can also help decide on the lead. It is the first paragraph ('par') of the news story.

One easy way of determining your lead is to use the "tell-a-friend" technique. The response should be one succinct sentence that captures the essence of the story.

By this point, your reader asks themselves, Do I want to read on?

Think of the news lead as a baited hook that lures the reader into the story. Think economicall leads are usually no more than 20 - 25 words. It is like a summary or conclusion, except it appears at the start of the news story and not at the end.

To arrive at lead you ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the story’s main point?
2. What was said or done about this point or issue? – this is the action of the story
3. What are the recent developments in the story – today – a few hours ago or yesterday?
4. Which facts are going to affect people or interest them most?
5. Which facts are unusual?

Words by themselves don't mean anything but it's the words around that bring meaning.

What is Journalism for?

During week one we looked at three definitions for what is a journalist. We found that Splichal and Sparks (1994) had three definitions that vary significantly. Click here for the lesson notes and a quick review.

Journalism is for:

• Spreading / Sharing useful information.
• Building community.
• Promoting Democracy. 

Journalism was found to be a way of providing citizens with the information they need to be informed and self-governed.

A Brief History of Newspapers

• First newspapers are believed to have been published in China from 618 to 907AD.
• The middle Ages ended, news came in the form of a song and story; news ballads from wandering minstrels.
• Newspapers appeared in Europe from the mid-15th century. 
• The first reqularly published English newspaper is thought to have been the Weekly News, which appeared in 1622. 
• 1609 - oldest and first newspapers evolved. 
• Newspapers led to a rise in 'public opinion'.
• In 1720, two London newspapermen writing under the name of 'Cato' introduced the idea that truth should be spread.
• In 1735 - The birth of the free press in US when John Peter Zenger was acquitted of charges of criticizing the royal governor of New York. 

Australian Press 

The first Australian newspaper was produced in Sydney; weekly called the Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser. The editor George Howe was a previously a convict and he was the first Australian editor, poet and early printer.

The only locally owned newspaper company in Australia is John Fairfax Holdings Limited (Fairfax).

The other major player, News Limited, controls around 70 percent of newspaper circulation in Australia, moved its corporate headquarters from Adelaide to new York in 2004. 

Capital cities including Brisbane and Adelaide have no locally owned daily newspapers.

Journalism in Society

'Journalism is the first rough draft of history' (Bradlee in Hough 1984: 60)

A Definition of 'News'

US journalism education Melvin Mencher says there are two general guidelines when trying to define news:

1. 'News is information about a break from the normal flow of events, an interruption of the expected'
2. 'News is informed people need to make sound decisions about their lives'

Another way of thinking about news is John B Bogart, city editor of the New York Sun, provided a classic description of news a century ago, "When a dog bites a man it's not news, but when a man bites a dog. That's news"

Six Fundamental Questions

When reporting on a news story six fundamental questions should be answered at some point in order for readers to understand the full situation. 

• What?
• Why?
• When?
• How?
• Where?
• Who? 

The 5 W's and H 

Who, When, What, Where, Why & How.

News values: 

News has several values that include; Impact,  Conflict, Timeliness, Proximity, Prominence, Currency, Human Interest and The Unusual.

Impact - Everything that has a great effect on a large number of people. Though the news may be big in one part of the world but not in another area of the world.
Conflict - After all we go to war therefore good news may also be a clash between people or institutions in other words conflict.
Timeliness - News needs to be immediate and recent.
Proximity - Events geographically or emotionally close to the reader, viewer or listener.
Prominence - Events involving well-known people or institutions and organisations.
Currency - Events and situations that are being talked about, sometimes known as water cooler stories because they spark office gossip.
Human Interest - The people factor people want to know about other people.
The Unusual - Events that deviate sharply from the expected and the experiences of everyday life. (one of the strongest news values). When investigating unusual stories it's best to check your sources are credible.

Remember news can never be perfect.

Practive news stems from investigative reports, exposes, exclusive interviews, and unique photographs or vision.

Journeys in journalism

The history of modern-day news publication is traced from 1^st century China, to Europe, and the United States. There is mention of the enormous contribution made to journalism and democracy by US journalist, statesman, diplomat, and inventor Benjamin Franklin.

It is explained that changes in technology, and communications technology in particular, have always been accompanied by changes in news production methods and the dissemination of news. Current changes and their impact are highlighted, especially in relation to the impact they are having on how journalists work.

Concepts of media convergence are introduced. Impacts the internet and world wide web (web) are having on journalism as a profession, and on journalism education, are highlighted, as are the expectations media organisations have of journalism graduates.

Overall, the chapter/lecture aims to convey a sense of what it is really like being a journalist today, what is expected of journalists by employers and the communities they serve, and the rich heritage, traditions and ethical underpinning of the profession.

We are living in one of the most radical, positive, and exciting periods of change journalism has ever undergone —an era which could aptly be dubbed the ‘computer-assisted communications revolution’.

It is also a time when new technology and new media are challenging old ideas. Newspaper circulations are falling in many nations, as are the ratings of news and current affairs programs on free-to-air television. But new media industries are emerging and gaining strength as journalists (and others) write news for publication on the web, or for access via mobile phones and PDA computers.

In this context it is of note that even newspapers were once perceived as a new-fangled fad.

Many of the world’s first journalists and first newspaper publishers had to overcome persecution and fight for freedom of expression. They tended to shine a light on corruption and on the wheeling and dealing of the rich and powerful – something that induced fear and loathing among those on the receiving

The first Australian newspaper was the Sydney Gazette, which appeared in 1803. In the 100 years that followed, literally hundreds of new newspapers emerged. Most were independently owned by printers and compositors (those who assembled type to be printed) also fulfilled the role of journalists. They gathered news, wrote about it, edited it, and printed it.

While newspaper circulations are falling, nearly every newspaper of note now has an online edition.

Implications of new technology

The explosion of new technology has seen a move towards what has become known as journalistic and media ‘convergence’. It is a concept explained in detail in chapter/lecture 13. Basically, in a journalistic sense, convergence is about a marriage between old and new forms of media – in which combinations of radio, television, print, and the web – are combined in single newsrooms.

Newspapers and, to a lesser extent television stations, are now ‘scooping’ their own publications and broadcasts by publishing breaking news online.

Source: Lecturer notes     The Daily Miracle: An Introduction to Journalism

Definitions of a Journalist

The questions that arises when pondering a definition for what a Journalist is, "What makes a writer a journalist?"

Journalism has been argued as a profession by Splichal and Sparks (1994) and many others. Splichal and Sparks (1994) have come up with three definitions, drawn from consideration of not only, 'whether all or most journalists possess a certain set of skills, but also about the kinds of behaviour associated with journalists, the social cohesion of the group itself and its status relative to other groups'.

The first definitions is, "A Journalist is someone who earns their living from an activity of journalism, thereby defining journalism as a set of practices."

The second shows how journalism is about technical mastery, which separates journalists from those who are merely published. By this definitions the Journalist is only a Journalist if deemed by the occupational group. A member of a journalists' association is a journalist: a person who is unaccredited is not.

The third definition is a spin on social responsibility, 'Involving patterns of behavior which are grounded in that occupation but which have implications for the general department of the professional individual.'

The makeup of a journalist requires that they have a clear obligation to use their power and influence for social good rather than personal gain.

 Journalism as Practices

 You are employed on a daily newspaper. Your news editor calls you over to his desk, hands you a media release and tells you to 'follow it up'. Is what you will eventually write journalism? How do you know? Is your role different from that of the person who wrote the media release?

With an ever increasing Broadcast Media section and Online News freelance sits is anyone who publishes their Wordpress or Blog story a journalist?
 
The Australian Journalists' Association, a division of the industrial union the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), is responsible for the ethical code guiding Australian Journalists. The preamble of the Code of Ethics describles the profession of journalists as,

Journalists describe society to itself. They seek truth. They convey information, ideas and opinions, a privileged role. They search, disclose, record, question, entertain, suggest and remember. They inform citizens and animate democracy. They give a practical form to freedom of expression. Many journalists work for private enterprise, but all these have public responsibilities. MEAA members engaged in journalism commit themselves to honesty, fairness, independence and respect for the rights of others. (MEAA, 1997:15)

A good quote to remember is Spiderman's quote, "With great power comes great responsibility" can be applied to this code of ethics. A revision on the code of ethics in 1998 saw the addition of, 'public responsibilities'. According to the MEAA they say,

'As accountability engenders public trust, it is essential to the fulfillment of journalism's public responsibilities... Journalists have a special obligation to be accountable because it is they who claim to be one of the main methods of holding to account, on behalf of the public, others who wield power' (MEAA, 1997: 3)

For futher readings on the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics' refer to the following web link.

Employment

Journalists are hired on an individual basis by media employers who have their own definitions for 'adequate' preparation and training. This can aid in making technical mastery problematic.

 For example, an Industrial awards may specify certain competencies to be achieved by inters or cadet reporters, but has no control over an editor's decision to hire someone with no formal training at a senior level. Elliot (1986: 149-50) outlines that technical mastery in journalism is based on routine competencies as factual accuracy, speed in meeting deadlines, style in presentation and a shared set of news values.

News for Media Outlets

Providing news for media outlets is a big business. You've only got to look at News of the World. PR News sources such as Media Releases that are distributed and rhetoric in nature know that if a news item is presented to the journalist in the news organization's usual style, it is likely to be used unchanged. This is largely due to the pressure of deadlines, it is easy in this situation to apply an 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it' approach to editing.

Conclusion

The Conclusiong that can be gathered about the reality of journalism at the beginning of the 21st century is that it can no longer be described as simply in terms of employment status. Nor can its definition be limited to describing an individual who has completed a period of initiation into the practice of a workplace, because such description attached no social responsibilities to the power that individual journalist possess in framing the world for audiences.