Journalism is fundamentally the communication of information. Good journalism plays an important role in social progression. It can root out corruption, can help to create fairer laws and practices and can relate stories that inspire and broaden our cultural horizons.
Throughout history influence over information has been crucial to political control and rulers have used their power over information to dominate their people. The church in the Heresy Act of 1401 made it illegal for a layperson to read the bible, thus ensuring the word of the Pope remained unchallenged. In her novel The Golden Notebook, Doris Lessing highlights how the diverse education systems around the world use their power as a source of information to mould and pattern their recipients to the narrow and particular needs of their respective societies. Google search results are the subject of varying degrees of government censorship the world over and the global media too often reflects the personal interests of those that run it. In 2011 Lord Justice Leveson chaired an inquiry into “The Culture, Practice and ethics of The Press” in Britain. It examined among other subjects the relationship of the press with the public, police and politicians who over the years have sought to use the media and the power it wields over information to further their own personal interests. Journalism is powerful.
There are numerous examples of good journalism and of its use as a tool to better our world. The investigative work of Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein into the Watergate Scandal helped uncover the illegal activities of US President Nixon’s administration, highlighting the role of good journalism in helping democracy function. More recently WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden are responsible for informing the public about global surveillance programs, used by powerful agencies to keep themselves fully informed about each of us, information they can use as they please to maintain their power. War correspondents report on the horrors of war. Many question the role such work plays in promoting peace but BBC foreign correspondent Jeremy Bowen who reported from Bosnia-Herzegovina during the Bosnian War responds in his documentary, Jeremy Bowen – On the Frontline “It’s just inherently important to find out what’s happening in the bad parts of the world, what human beings are doing to their fellow human beings. That is very important.” It is important. Reports from war zones prick our conscience and inspire people to act. Without such information, anti-war organisations and demonstrations all fighting to bring about peace wouldn’t exist. Equally, uplifting journalism can inspire us to act. When we learn of sportspeople who have overcome adversity to succeed, of charity workers who have devoted their lives to helping others, of fascinating scientific breakthroughs or of countries and cultures different to our own we are inspired.
Journalism is powerful and good journalism is an important tool in the eternal struggle for a better world.
Jon Osler, May 2016
Image: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (Creative Commons)