Critical Journalism - Assignment Example

Critical journalism studies textual analysis Introduction Journalism is a phenomenal profession that continues to grow with the development of the society. The modern society has a great demand for mass media content a feature that explains the rise in the number of magazines, newspapers, radio stations and television stations. The mass media therefore plays the vital role of informing the society. However, the increase in the number of journalists in the society presents several vital concerns about the profession. The representation of journalism in movies has therefore changed as well in order to represent the changes in the profession. Various journalism films often investigate specific features of the profession such as the ethical conduct of journalists, modern trends of the media and the history of the media. In doing this, either the films often portray journalists as heroes or villain depending on the angle of criticism a film adopts as portrayed in the discussion below. Media is one of the most powerful arms of the society. Also referred to as the fourth estate, the media informs, influences opinion and protects the vulnerable in the society. Such vital functions require the journalist to undertake their functions with fidelity both to the profession and to the society. Journalists have often behaved in ways that justify their portrayal either as heroes or as ant-heroes in the various journalism films. The role of the radio in the Rwandan genocide for example are some of the occurrences that validates the portrayal of journalists as anti-heroes thereby validating the themes some of the journalism films. The case of Rwanda is an example of the situations in which journalists act unethically and without objectivity. Additionally, journalists engage in various under dealings in their attempt to scoop new stories. Among the common types of unethical conduct, include bribing news sources and offering sexual favors especially by female journalists. In other cases, journalists are proactive and inquisitive individual who unearth numerous scandals in the society thus protecting the interest of the weak and vulnerable in the society. Journalism films often capture both sides depending on the plot of a story in a film (McNair, 2010). Films are cultural products that just as any other type of art always represent the prevailing social features. Developers of films observe the prevailing cultural and social features, which they represent artistically in films. On doing this, the developers enjoy the freedom and ability to criticize the society using fictional characters. The development of mass media in the modern society is one such vita social and cultural features that film developers often criticize. In their criticisms, the film developers investigate the actions of journalists in order to provide a factual representation of the position of the media in the society. The role of the media in social, cultural and political conflicts in the society thus inform the decision of film developers in their portrayal of the journalists. Key among such media dishonors includes the Watergate scandal, fabrication of scandals in 2000s and even the role of the mass media in ethnic wars in Africa. Journalists must always carry out themselves with decorum and uphold the ethical codes of conduct. However, in certain cases journalists shelve their ethics and carry out their roles with the political partisans in the society. Hotel Rwanda is an American historical drama film developed in 2004. The film narrates the actual events that occurred during the Rwandan genocide. Key among the features of the film is its critical portrayal of the media. Radio was an effective media in the Rwandan society. The peasant farmers relied on radio for information, education and entertainment even before the political upheaval began. The cheap cost of radios coupled with its portability made it the most appropriate media in the society. When the political violence that instigated the ethnic conflict broke out in Kigali the capital of the country, radio became a media used in propagating propaganda thus heightening the effects of the sporadic violent. The film portrays journalists as villains. A key reporter in the film takes a political side and uses his platform to spread ethnic messages that fueled the war. Through the radio, the journalists presented his community as marginalized thus validating the ongoing massacre of members of the other minority community. The fact that film is a representation of actual events that happened during the war raised vita issues on objectivity in the profession. The inability of the reporters in the radio to use their media to promote peace was a portrayal of laxity and lack of objectivity, a key ethical element that defines the position of the mass media in the society (Good, 2008). Media ethics should guide the action of journalists. By upholding the ethical concerns, journalists minimize the harms that may arise from their actions. Films often portray journalists acting unethically as they break their codes of conduct thereby causing harm to the society. Produced in 2005, Thank you for smoking is comedy drama film directed by Jason Reitman. The film presents the media as a gullible institution often out to gain profits at the expense of the interests of the society. Nick Naylor, the main character in the film is an unscrupulous tobacco lobbyist. He claims that his lobby had carried out extensive research with the aim of establishing the relationship between smoking cigarette and various types of cancer. Ironically, the big tobacco manufacturing companies in the country sponsor the researches by his lobby group. Despite such unscrupulous operations, Nick Naylor enjoys immense airtime on television as he continues to lobby for cigarette. Nick Naylor engages in bribery as he strives to fabricate evidence for the ideologies he fronts in his television show. He tries to bribe a cancer stricken man, Lorne Lutch who once featured in a Marlboro advert. Marlboro is a brand if cigarette in the society. Nick therefore understands that if the society sees the man, the anti-smoking campaigners would gain ground thus jeopardize his job. Besides such a despicable portrayal of the media, the film further portrays journalists as unethical in their professional conduct. A young reporter, Heather Holloway seduces Nick Naylor. She succeeds in her endeavors as Nick eventually falls in love with her. In one of her affairs, Nick Naylor opens up and narrates his life story to the young journalists. The young female journalist later develops an exclusive expose of Nick Naylor in which he publishes all of Nick’s under dealings and questionable morality. The young journalist enjoys the scoop as she exposes Nick. She bashes Nick in the article as she exposes the bribe among other features of his selfish operations. In doing this, the young journalist does not reveal her engagement with Nick. Such is an unethical engagement since journalists should always obtain their content in appropriate ways (Good 1998). The journalist in this context uses unorthodox means to obtain personal information, which she later uses to develop her career. This portrays her as an unethical journalist who habitually seduces her news sources. Nothing but the truth is yet another journalism film, which presents the important modern issues in the profession and the conduct of journalists. The media presents journalists as bright and perfect individuals who understand diverse subjects. Confidentiality of sources is a vital feature in modern journalism that ensures that journalist exposes the social ills while protecting the confidentiality of whistleblowers. The film argues for the protection of sources since they help provide vital information on some of the most scandalous stories most of which may risk the life of the sources (Ehrlich, 2006). The film suggests such scandals as the Watergate and Pentagon papers, in both cases confidential sources helped reveal vital details that enhanced the protection of public interests by the journalists. The film therefore portrays journalist as heroes who inform the society while protecting their new sources even from some of the most powerful individuals in the government. In retrospect, journalism films just as many other films in the society investigate prevailing social issues. The development of the media is a major cultural feature. The media is an important institution that sustains the flow of information in a society. As such, the media and media practitioners play a significant role in creating public opinion in the society. Additionally, journalists inform and educate the society on various ways. The media presents journalists as glamorous and sexy individuals with adequate education thus capable of deciding on the newsworthiness of an event ( Saltzman, 2002). On the contrary, the media also presents journalists as sleazy and despicable. Journalism films therefore strive to represent both sides of journalists. Various films present journalist as heroes who fight for the right of the weak in the society besides presenting news with objectivity. Other films on the other hand portray journalist as unethical individuals capable of undertaking any type of risk just to get a story. Both sides of the representation enjoy relative factuality given involvement of journalists in events taking place in the society. Bibliography EHRLICH, M. C. (2006). Journalism in the movies. Urbana, University of Illinois Press. GOOD, H. (1998). Girl reporter: gender, journalism, and the movies. Lanham, Md, Scarecrow Press. GOOD, H. (2000). The drunken journalist: the biography of a film stereotype. Lanham, Md. [u.a.], Scarecrow Press. GOOD, H. (2008). Journalism ethics goes to the movies. Lanham, Rowman & Littlefield. McNair, B. (2010). Journalists in film: Heroes and Villains. New York: McGraw Hill. SALTZMAN, J. (2002). Frank Capra and the image of the journalist in American film. Los, CA, Norman Lear Center, the Annenberg School for Communication. Read More