Dear Christian, Be An Informed Citizen

So there has been presidential debates and a vice presidential debate. There will be an election in a couple weeks so it seems fitting to talk about this.

>We live in a day and place where ignorance is the most costly commodity there is, so to speak.

Start by realizing all media has a bias. As I like to say, if you have a pulse you have a bias. Much to their protesting, that goes for the news media as well. So work at informing yourself. Read multiple sources—the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Watch Fox News and CNN.

>You also need to know the news media as a whole mostly votes for Democrats over 80% of the time–and always has.

I’m not saying that’s right or wrong, actually it’s left (Ha!). I simply think this is important to know when reading the ‘news’ and how facts are reported. There’s often a slant.

Part of the professionalism breaks down in philosophy. Too many journalists view their role as a means to “make a difference” or “report the truth” or “affect change.” I even remember hearing this while working on my Mass Communications degree from other students. The problem is, whose truth? Whose change? And for what difference?

>It’s unavoidable for ideology not to break through.

All these imply agenda and activism, and that is not the role of a responsible journalist. The fundamental role and purpose of a journalist is to report the facts, hence the name reporter. But I guess reporting facts gets boring, so ideology bleeds through. Don’t be offended. Just be aware.

>Be a responsible citizen and be an informed one.

Personally, I read around 100 headlines a day and about 10% of those articles from a variety of sources.

Being ignorant is dangerous. Being informed is effective.

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