I found the case for independent journalism extremely compelling. I have not taken journalism courses previously and so much of what was discussed was new to me but I believe heavily relates to my major SPIA. Much of our democracies pitfalls and triumph have been broken by independent news. It is is an important part of our democracy. When we see the limits of what our media and especially news can cover in other nations that is almost always a a warning sign of the limits of the rights of people within that nation. While I understand that we can question objectivity in the face of who we are as humans and also in the rise of news coverage within say the last five decades I think it is still interesting to discuss independent journalism models. I am a part of the Just Data Lab and we discussed at length the discrepancy between believing data is bias but even the collection of data is bias. While data can mean many things I think this is reflected in the views of our media coverage. What we choose to cover is inherently bias in that we have picked to break this story. I think the journalist does a good job pointing out that even if we can’t be objective, journalism can still be independent.
As I have mentioned before I think the compelling point of journalism within our liberal democracy is really importnat and maintaining the legitimacy of these institutions to call out and cases of injustice are extremely necessary. I would argue that in order to maintain a liberal democracy, a reputable and free journalistic institution is necessary. Laws and the functions of our government are important to maintain our government and stop it from failing or limiting the rights of the people within it. But a government that can maintain order that is necessary to its functions is also in danger of abusing that power. Journalism is one way in which we can limit and call out the practices that make seek to limit the rights of the people. We must guard ourselves against the guardians of our safety which in many cases is our government. I would also argue that from many past examples this has always been the case. Journalists reported on slum conditions and meatpacking industries at the beginning of the 19th century and then on watergate towards the end of it. Journalism for its many sensationalist qualities over history has been important to giving an understanding to the public that can affect change. Regardless of journalists not being the movers and shakers that create or implement laws that help our society to function. It has always been key to inducing the change necessary to create these laws or bring them up in the first place.
I think the journalist is right to want to safeguard the models of the past. And to ensure that independent journalism is able to continue. It is an important facet of our liberal democracy and needs to continue.
