By Emily Garcia |
Staff writer
Two contrasting philosophies exist about journalists and the mainstream press. The first is that journalists and the mainstream press fail to fulfill their duty to the people to provide them with coverage of an event that is full, fair and accurate. People in this school of thought are under the impression that the news media are not doing enough.
The adage repeated on social media is, “This [insert video or photograph that has not yet been seen on Fox or CNN] is what the media won’t show you!”
The second opinion speaks to those who feel news media coverage is overwhelming and performative.
A video posted on Twitter by @iRunWithLula showed a protestor flipping off a group of cops and a white woman, standing adjacent, filming in the street.
“F**k the press and f**k the police for allowing white women to be in the street without being arrested for capturing this sh*t, for f**king white people to get Pulitzer Prizes for our pain and our f**king suffering!” the protestor yelled.
The belief in the second philosophy is that the news media are doing too much, and that non-members of the press should control the coverage that their events receive.
@nitaaasmile tweeted, “Yo knock them cameras out them thirsty a** white photographer’s hands.”
The American press is hated for simultaneously not doing enough and doing too much.
Of course, media literacy education points us in the direction of diversifying our media consumption to remedy the former issue.
However, the latter issue brings up a greater ethical question about the real possibility of exploitation.
So, then the question becomes who gains virtually nothing, if not nothing, monetarily by covering the protests and can only increase marginally in popularity by doing so?
I direct your attention to student media.
Student journalists are the answer to ambivalent opinions of the media. These journalists work tirelessly to provide coverage to their local community, often putting themselves in harm’s way for little to no pay.
Three student journalists from The Lantern at Ohio State University were pepper-sprayed by Columbus Police even after repeatedly identifying themselves as members of the news media, according to a story The Lantern published following the incident.
When mainstream news media fail to provide coverage and local newspaper’s lack the resources and energy to write full, fair and accurate stories; student news is there.
The community, as a whole, needs to support and pay attention to student journalism.
They are not just the future of democracy, they are democracy.
Contact Emily Garcia at EMGARCIA@augusta.edu.
The Bell Ringer 