Political Journalism Representation of Public Interest - Essay Example

Political Journalism Representation of Public Interest Name Institution Course Lecturer Date The public interest is of primary importance in matters to do with journalism at all level. This essay considers the issues of public interest representation by the political journalism in the Australian context. Various aspects of the political journalism are engaged throughout the paper in relation to the public interest concerns. Within the context of the professional ethic in journalism and the constitutional provisions in Australia, issues like democratic rights and objectivity in journalism reporting are expressed. Political journalism is considered to be a very significant link between the public and the political actors at varying categories. The conclusion is that political journalism does indeed represent the public interest. However, there is an identified room of improvement in this representation. All aspects of political science and politics are included in the political journalism coverage. The political power and governments are covered within this definition. There is analysis of the current political events, interpretation and discussions by various parties such as the editorialists and news media pundits (Coatney 2013, p33). The political communication will basically encompass various elements which may constitute a political identity. The scope therefore goes beyond the written statements or the verbal expressions. There is a very high significance that is attached in the political arena to the information that journalists are able to collect in the context of political discussions. Throughout these considerations is a relationship attached to the public interest that can be considered to be expressed by the political journalism. As Australia gears up for the national elections, for example, political journalism is very influential. The Press Gallery journalists, for instance, are among the most active in politics issues especially in this periods. Political environment is significantly shaped by the prevailing journalism in the particular democracy in which it thrives. In Australia, the democracy has prevailed in the fact that journalists are granted constitutional rights to report and nurture platforms of discussions on political matters (Budarick 2013, p203). The basic direction of the political organisation lies in the decision making. There is a framework of governance that is formed by the individuals in political arena so as to pursue similar objectives mostly organised in political parties. In a typical democracy, a number of these parties will exist. Ideologically, the parties may have different agendas or set goals. However, the area of operation is expected to be guided strictly by the constitution. Whether the parties assert themselves in the implementation or opposition of a particular policy, the rules of the constitution must be adhered to. Various journalism avenues are associated with the political communication process. The link of the media to the political organisations and to the citizens, for example, will cover issues like analysis, commentary, reportage and editorials. These political organisations may entail the governments, terrorist organisations, pressure groups, public organisations and parties. Their mode of response will include avenues like public relations, advertising, programmes and appeals. The Australian citizens’ response to the media is through avenues like citizen journalism, blogs, letters and opinion polls. Important links that exist will therefore reveal interdependence in the various actors. In particular, the political journalists forms a very significant link between the political actors and the public (Hanusch 2013, p48). With their views aired properly and their democratic rights supported, the public will feel acknowledged and represented. In addition, the information they acquire in the political arena will ensure that there is a higher level of participation that is engaged. The questioning of the public interest in the political journalism can be understood in the context of the fundamental formation and operation of the political journalism. The commercial marketplaces, for example, have a system of measurement of profits. This may be on the basis of the sales, income or profits that are made over time. However, there is variation in the political environment in what may be deemed as the success. The effective power and the voting share may be the very concern of a political party for instance. The direction that the political environment takes deter mines to a great deal the direction that political journalism also takes (Moody 2011, p135). The interests of the public may, therefore, not be exhaustively addressed in such a case as it would otherwise be with a basic determination to channel benefit to the public. In the political journalism the reality of the political process as it relates to the public can be expressed in three categories. First, there is the notion of constructed reality. The description here relates to the media coverage to bring about the meaning of events. Secondly, the citizens and the actors may have different perceptions of the political events. This may be put in the category of subjective reality. Thirdly, the political events as they occur will be comprised giving rise to what may be considered as objective political reality. Political journalists will integrate these categories in their analysis and presentation to bring about precision in their output. The biases that exist in the process of integrating these categories especially in the subjective categories may dilute the impact of benefit that the public are entitled to. (Waller 2011, p160) The various levels of alterations that the political information is subjected to may reduce the dependability attached to it to a very high degree. The political interventions in the Australian context could be described as a process of acquiring, processing and release of a political message may bring in very biased, incomplete or incorrect information. The information transmission process across various groups should also be guarded strongly. The public access programs, forums for political discussions by the public and the public policy-making will always thrive when there is a reliable source of information. The development that a country such as Australia aspires is linked to the democratic framework within the whole systems of operations of the country. The political journalism is one of the areas to be most consulted especially due to the progressive coverage of various aspects in the development agenda (Phelan 2013, p161). If the focus of the political journalism has been altered, the information obtained will be faulty. This is particularly so given a limited range of public association in the information coverage. The public opinion cannot be put aside in a democratic system. This is especially so in regard to the political opinion which should be taken an advice to the political leaders and allow to be exercised in power revealed in the voting patterns that the people are allowed to adopt. There is therefore a great need to have the Australian citizens equipped with the correct information and knowledge which will act as the basis of making the correct political information. The concept of the public sphere hereby discussed relates to the whole realm of the public existence and operation. The inclination of political journalism is very useful if it has a balanced approach in its formation (Loy 2012, p178). This will ensure that there is reliability in the operation mechanism of the systems of a nation given the fact that the political information availed o the citizens will allow them to soberly make the right kind of choices that relates to governance that they will subjected to. There are various functions that can be ideally tied to the political journalism. First, it should serve as a channel of advocacy for the political viewpoints. It is expected that the journalists in Australia should be open to the political information regarding their programs and policies that they are planning to put forth or to enhance in operation. In addition, in the election periods, the persuasion power of journalism regarding the direction to take must be a very balanced one. The second function is granting publicity to the political institutions and the government. This coverage helps in putting forth issues as they are in the political environment. This will allow for objectivity. (Phillips 2012, p172) Accountability is thus highly enhanced as proper scrutiny is given a proper ground. Formation of the public opinion such as providing room of dissent in bringing about the democratic consensus idea is put forth. This is the third consideration public political discourse is granted the right platform to operate in. Fourth, the journalists take an educative role. It is expected that the journalists firmly hold on to objectivity whereby they presume to a good degree a professional detachment from the analysed issues. The meaning and significance of the political facts forms the basis of their education agendas. The final function is that of informing. The political journalists in Australia inform the general public on the occasions that are happening in the political arena of their interest (Gerrand, 2012). This can be tied closely to the functions of monitoring and surveillance that the media exhibits. When the above functions of the media are adhered to, the interest of the public will be catered for in a good way by the political journalism. These are, however, the ideal conditions. The efforts of the political journalism in Australia need to form them as their objective in the effort to bring about sobriety in the administration. The degree of concealing particular political information needs to be regulated as much as the political information to give should be regulated. Furthermore, a clear line is expected to be drawn regarding the subjectivity and objectivity of a report. The political actors reveal their ways of operation primarily on the basis of the media to the general public. This calls for a regulative mechanism regarding suppression/concealment of particular information and manipulation of particular information in order to achieve a particular means (Morieson 2012, p87). What is considered newsworthy is not on the basis of a selfish engagement from a particular line of politics but on the platform of the best placement for the welfare of the general public. This principle applies in all cases even with the interviews that are directed to particular political figures. Owing to the fact that the behaviours and attitudes of the general public as the intended audience of particular media information is significantly affected by the communicative behaviour of the political actors, responsible news reporting must be engaged. This relates to very fundamental channels such as conference speeches and political advertising which are prevalent in Australia. All areas of the outlet of information that relates to the political environment must be significantly regulated. The growing need for mass communication can affect the practices and the procedure that relates to the political process of a democratic society. In addition, the political communication is at its rise in the sphere of democracy (Kuhn & Neveu, 2013). The proper scrutiny is allowed at all levels. However, the effectiveness of this communication can only be measured significantly against the results that it achieves. The idea is that of having governance that is unbiased. This will ensure that a regulatory measure system is not in the line of subjective control but that there is effectual subjectivity. The association of political journalism and the public interest, as observed in Australia, is a dialectical one. It involves action and reaction. Considering this notion, it can be said that political journalism is an important part of the political actors. The adherence of the journalist to their professional ethics of objectivity is needed. This help in the reporting of facts relating to the public affairs which to a great extent fulfil the democratic role that is expected from them. The popularity of opinions from the political platform needs to be as a result of the people’s choice and not as a result of patterns that the political journalist forms (Budarick 2013, p203). It is to be noted that the presence or absence of particular political events in the media agenda in itself is a trigger to the direction that the general groups will take. This reveals the fact that the political reality is structured by the cognitive reporting on the happenings in the political arena. The profitability of political journalism to the citizens of Australia is without doubt. However, the level of this significance is a matter of great concern too. In the face of a competitive journalism environment, the tendency to divert to political acts and factors that will be of greater interest to the public is very likely. If this s not checked, the professionalism in journalism will be compromised. The guiding principle doesn’t lie fundamentally in providing to the public what they want to hear but rather a presentation of the truth. There should be an explicit separation between a fact and an opinion (Zelizer & Allan, 2011). There are various constraints that are related to profession of journalism in the efforts to remain objective. This should, however, never come in as an excuse to the formation of a framework that will ensure reliability to the news obtained. The political environment in Australia has also included the idea of corporate public relations. This relates to factors like information management, organisations’ internal communication, image-management in the political public relations and media management. In order to manage the public opinion, the aspects of political information regarding the restriction and dissemination are of key concern. The political identity and its applicability address the concerns of the people in general lies in the placement of the constituting elements. In Australia, this is done in such a way that allows for proper regulatory mechanisms. The ideology of political success lies in the ability of the political journalist to bring about the proper expression of facts to the public. When this is done without compromise, it will ensure that there is no partial, distorted or exaggerated information of any kind. The sobriety in the political environment will be achieved in such a way that ensures that the diplomacy that is beneficial to the private and public elements is achieved (Hayes, 2011, p197). It will thus be easier to capture the interests of the public without making one party worse off. This optimality is regulated by the political journalism to a significant degree. There a big range of issues to be addressed in the political arena so as to bring about a more sustainable future. The political journalists aids in preventing any kind of denial that is related to areas like decision making and economic challenges that the public faces (Weaver & Willnat, 2012). There are efforts in Australia that are directed towards a proper evaluation of the quality journalism in all its area of existence. There are biases that are related to the journalism endeavours arising intentionally or unintentionally. The balance is brought in by the policy and development agendas in the political arena that cannot be doubted. The results achieved will reveal if the whole process of information dissemination after deeming it newsworthy was faulty or not. The atmosphere of political intimidation to the journalist by the use of direct or indirect means causes a trouble that can only be sufficiently addressed on the basis of democracy. It is within the Australian constitution right of the journalists to have freedom in the execution of their task in a way that ensures that objectivity is achieved. It is only in very specific cases that the political journalist should be hindered from accessing particular information or reporting it. The merging of political journalism with the public interest is therefore a process that is not ambiguous. As Australia responds to the advancing global integration, there are best practices in political that can be obtained from various other places. The benchmarking of these best practices will ensure that there is continuous merging of the political journalism with public interest (Coatney 2013, p33). This will ensure that true democracy that is public-centred ids adhered to. The wealthy and the powerful will not be the only group that is left to share their views but chance will be granted to the citizens as a whole in airing their views and casting their votes on various matters of national concern. The political journalism in Australia can, therefore, be considered as representing the public interest. The democratic setting of the government allows room for the journalist to have their freedom. This has helped greatly in the expansion of the political journalism. The professional ethic in the Australia governs the journalist in remaining objective in performing their tasks. This objectivity is very vital in the keeping up with the need to have an extensive framework that allows for constitutionally accepted framework. The basic need of having information that relates to the political environment and relaying the concerns of the public to the various political actors have been significantly enabled by the political journalism. There is, however, a need for a more explicit framework in the keeping up with need for a higher level of public interest representation. The political journalists, in the face of the growing competitive environment, may be under the pressure of expanding their political coverage. Whereas this is necessary, it should be much regulated in a way that does away with every form of bias. The level of political framework should just be addressed as it is by the involved journalists in their coverage. References Budarick, J. (2013). Reinventing professionalism: Journalism and news in global perspective [Book Review]. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (149), 203. Coatney, C. (2013). Extending news interviews: how John Curtin influenced Australian political journalism, 1941-1945. In Proceedings of the 2013 Journalism Education Association of Australia Conference (JEAA 2013) (pp. 1-34). Journalism Education Association of Australia. Gerrand, P. (2012). Serving the public interest in regulating media convergence. Telecommunications Journal of Australia, 62(3). Hanusch, F. (2013). Moulding them in the industry's image: Journalism education's impact on students' professional views. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (146), 48. Hayes, M. (2011). The handbook of political economy of communications [Book Review]. Australian Journal of Communication, 38(3), 197. Kuhn, R., & Neveu, E. (Eds.). (2013). Political journalism: New challenges, new practices. Routledge. Loy, E. (2012). Digital journalism [Book Review]. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (144), 178. Moody, K. E. (2011). Credibility or Convenience?: Political Information Choices in a Media-saturated Environment. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (140), 35. Morieson, L. (2012). Crikey, the Australian and the politics of professional status in Australian journalism. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (144), 87. Phelan, S. (2013). Television journalism [Book Review]. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (148), 161. Phillips, G. (2012). Challenging the news: The journalism of alternative and community media [Book Review]. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (143), 172. Waller, L. (2011). Newspaper Journalism [Book Review]. Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, (138), 160. Weaver, D. H., & Willnat, L. (Eds.). (2012). The global journalist in the 21st century. Routledge. Zelizer, B., & Allan, S. (Eds.). (2011). Journalism after September 11. Taylor & Francis. Read More

These political organisations may entail the governments, terrorist organisations, pressure groups, public organisations and parties. Their mode of response will include avenues like public relations, advertising, programmes and appeals. The Australian citizens’ response to the media is through avenues like citizen journalism, blogs, letters and opinion polls. Important links that exist will therefore reveal interdependence in the various actors. In particular, the political journalists forms a very significant link between the political actors and the public (Hanusch 2013, p48).

With their views aired properly and their democratic rights supported, the public will feel acknowledged and represented. In addition, the information they acquire in the political arena will ensure that there is a higher level of participation that is engaged. The questioning of the public interest in the political journalism can be understood in the context of the fundamental formation and operation of the political journalism. The commercial marketplaces, for example, have a system of measurement of profits.

This may be on the basis of the sales, income or profits that are made over time. However, there is variation in the political environment in what may be deemed as the success. The effective power and the voting share may be the very concern of a political party for instance. The direction that the political environment takes deter mines to a great deal the direction that political journalism also takes (Moody 2011, p135). The interests of the public may, therefore, not be exhaustively addressed in such a case as it would otherwise be with a basic determination to channel benefit to the public.

In the political journalism the reality of the political process as it relates to the public can be expressed in three categories. First, there is the notion of constructed reality. The description here relates to the media coverage to bring about the meaning of events. Secondly, the citizens and the actors may have different perceptions of the political events. This may be put in the category of subjective reality. Thirdly, the political events as they occur will be comprised giving rise to what may be considered as objective political reality.

Political journalists will integrate these categories in their analysis and presentation to bring about precision in their output. The biases that exist in the process of integrating these categories especially in the subjective categories may dilute the impact of benefit that the public are entitled to. (Waller 2011, p160) The various levels of alterations that the political information is subjected to may reduce the dependability attached to it to a very high degree. The political interventions in the Australian context could be described as a process of acquiring, processing and release of a political message may bring in very biased, incomplete or incorrect information.

The information transmission process across various groups should also be guarded strongly. The public access programs, forums for political discussions by the public and the public policy-making will always thrive when there is a reliable source of information. The development that a country such as Australia aspires is linked to the democratic framework within the whole systems of operations of the country. The political journalism is one of the areas to be most consulted especially due to the progressive coverage of various aspects in the development agenda (Phelan 2013, p161).

If the focus of the political journalism has been altered, the information obtained will be faulty. This is particularly so given a limited range of public association in the information coverage. The public opinion cannot be put aside in a democratic system. This is especially so in regard to the political opinion which should be taken an advice to the political leaders and allow to be exercised in power revealed in the voting patterns that the people are allowed to adopt.

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