Journalism & Public Affairs Assignment Sample
Introduction
Journalism can be termed as an activity that helps in easy gathering, assessing and presenting news in a creative way so that information can be transmitted. Watchdog role of journalism can be termed as publishing information in relation to favoring people who are in power. There is a drop in belief of people regarding trust within politics and role of journalism is increasing. This study would highlight role of press and media as a watchdog in relation to politics along with identification of relevant theories. This study would also further shed light towards identifying relations amongst reporters and politicians.
Role of Journalism as a watchdog and academic theories
Watchdog theory of journalism
Watchdog journalism theory states that journalists have a huge role towards gathering information about wrong things that are performed by people in power so that it can be pointed out to people easily. It is observed that there is a drop in belief of people in relation to people present in power and it falls responsibility of journalists practicing journalism towards making sure that conflicts are resolved. In views of Márquez-Ramírez et al. (2020), watchdog theory of journalism ensures that scandals and corruption are easily covered so that performances of people in power can be presented in a pictorial way. With a drop in belief of people in relation to people present in power, the role of watchdog comes in place as this theory enables in performing scrutiny in a detailed way. Scrutiny that is undertaken would enable in investigating actions that are performed by people in power in a detailed way and represent actual scenario in a true and fair way.
Watchdog theory of journalism helps a journalist to work in a democratic country in an effective way and also there is enough freedom so that true and fair facts are delivered to customers. As commented by Cammaerts et al. (2020), watchdog theory of journalism helps a journalist towards identifying sources of conflict amongst people in power and common people so that the presence of conflicts is reduced.. Press can be considered as the sole powerful form that can communicate information to targeted customers and is not influenced by people in power. In an era where people are losing trust within political bodies and there is presence of low accountability, the media is only form which can help in identifying performances of political parties. As suggested by Palau-Sampio (2020), watchdog of journalism constantly walks towards ensuring that there is a presence of high form of reliability and accountability in information that is transmitted in a democratic country. Watchdog theory of journalism allows media to work freely in a democratic country and constantly monitor along with identifying officials who are corrupt in nature. Political trust is declining as this act is highlighting officials who are corrupt in nature and are being constantly exposed and as a result people have lost hope with political powers present in power. Political trust has drastically reduced amongst people as there is a growing demand regarding making sure that demands of people is fulfilled. Another important reason behind fall in trust of political powers can be attributed to as people have become aware in relation to information whether true in nature, people can easily identify actions. People can easily identify performances that are true and satisfying in nature and whenever they identify any deviation, a sense of trust in that political party tends to decline and they choose other political parties.
News Media Act
News Media Act can be considered as theory and an Act that works towards making sure that media can act and perform its role as a watchdog so that democratic governance is being followed. This acts as an important tool where press can act as watchdogs, gate keepers and setting of agendas. As suggested by Husseinn (2018), News Media not only enables media to perform as a watchdog but also make sure that policies that are being followed are true and transparent in nature. News media also ensures that while performing role as a watchdog, the press are conducting their operations freely and also is free from any form of corruption. Silence of journalists and showing false information on televisions and social media platforms has resulted in low political trust amongst people. It is often observed that false information that is published in social media platforms, people usually tend to believe and usually forward to other people (Visentin et al. 2019). It creates a sense of tension amongst people and often there is a rise in political clashes.
The News Media Act also walks towards making sure that political interests are highlighted in a way so that a balance can be maintained in public forums and extreme cases of autocracies be eradicated. In views of Mellado (2020), News media Act ensures that journalists who are present constantly work towards making sure that corruption that is present is reduced. It has been observed from studies that fake news that is spread due to silence of journalists results in low political trust as people tend to lose beliefs that they have in media. It is often that fake news that is circulated by journalists often results in mob violence’s and there is frequent loss of lives
News media Act also constantly works towards making sure that media while performing as a watchdog, implements policies that are sensitive and ensures that casualties that are present due to fake information are reduced. As opined by Shu et al. (2020), fake news that is circulated by acting as a watchdog of people in power reduces beliefs in people and they prefer to choose other political parties who follow a democratic style of leadership. People are highly aware in relation to ways to identify whether information that is circulated in nature are true and fair in nature and as a result of which there is huge pressure on people present in power. National Media Act also constantly ensures that local media are performing as an effective watchdog so that true and fair information is being communicated.
Influence of Politics on Journalism as a Watchdog with Contemporary Examples
Politics has a great influence over journalism and journalists and they tend to force journalists to convey information that they want to convey. British journalists and reporters tend to have a position which is leading in nature and constantly highlight opinions and views of people in power to target audiences. In views of Plantin and Punathambekar (2019), politicians in UK focus on seeking help from journalists towards highlighting their opinions in such a way so that public audiences can be influenced. Politician’s force and influence journalists in such a way that a perfect political image can be created though it may be false in nature. During last election in UK Conservative Party forced reporters and journalists to make a false video (Nytimes, 2022). This video showed that opposition party Labor who was in charge of Brexit Policy failed to answer questions in relation to exit of Brexit Policy in European Union. Policy of spin can be termed as a scenario where political parties and people in power tend to influence journalists and journalism so that political images can be represented in a better way.
Spin strategy can be considered as an important tool for political leaders towards governing journalists and reporters so that though false in nature a good image can be portrayed to target customers. According to Huckmag (2022), during initial first three weeks of campaign UK’s Conservative Party influenced journalists and reporters in such a way that only positive things were conveyed. Labor, another strong party failed to resist constant pressure that was being levied on them due to constant highlighting of negative factors. These false strategies that are being implemented by political parties and people in power and forcing journalism to perform a role of watchdog is declining beliefs amongst audiences. As commented by Sharma et al. (2019), audiences can easily identify fake news that are circulated by reporters by comparing views and opinions that are stated by other journalists and reporters. This rise in awareness regarding fake news amongst audiences has lowered beliefs within political parties who make false claims and choose other parties. This in turn is now forcing political parties and people in power towards choosing and highlighting facts that are true and fair in nature.
Political parties and people in power are constantly trying to make use of journalists and reporters towards controlling opinions in such a way so that public can be highly influenced. They influence and force journalists to report and publish information that is false in nature and information that is vital in nature could be kept as a secret. According to Firstdraftnews (2022), during election campaign Labor tried to influence reports towards introduction of headlines in newspapers that were misleading in nature. This in turn gave a boost as immediately more than 21,000 responses were generated in social media platforms. Another example that can be cited where people in power tend to influence journalists and reporters includes where Labor Party made a false claim in relation to paying 52 million pounds in relation to exit of Brexit (Firstdraftnews, 2022). Social media has become quite popular amongst targeted audiences and as a result of which political leaders are making use of social media platforms for influencing journalists and reporters towards publication of information that may even be false in nature. Political people present in power are making sure that journalists and reporters report and highlight information that is being stated. Political parties are influencing journalists and reporters in such a way so that an image can be conveyed that is highly appealing in targeted minds of audiences.
It can be easily started from the above discussion that political leaders and people in power play a great role towards influencing reporters and journalists in such a way. Reporters and journalists are focusing on highlighting only information that are conveyed by political parties and as a result of which trust and accountability are declining. People are confused regarding political parties that would fulfill their demands as commitments highlighted are false in nature. This fear of people is reducing trust regarding political parties and also they are unsure about how many their actions are accountable in nature. According to Huckmag (2022), Conservative Party showed an advertisement in pages of social media in relation to loss of 9655 losses of police jobs during rule of Labor Party. This was false information that was circulated and as a result of which belief of people is dropping constantly. Target audiences have become highly aware in relation to whether news that is circulated are fake or genuine in nature and they lose faith in political parties. This has created a huge sense of fear amongst political parties and people in power as people whenever they find that a political party is not genuine in nature they tend to choose other parties. Awareness amongst people has risen significantly and they constantly choose from one political party to another easily and as a result of which stability of political parties is declining gradually.
Analysis of Relationship between Reporters and Politicians
Links between reporters and politicians are mysterious in nature and it is still unclear regarding relation amongst them. In views of Van Dalen (2021), there exists a thin relationship and a small boundary amongst reporters and politicians as they focus on delivering what is being delivered to them. Politicians want reporters to cover what is being stated to them though they may want to highlight facts that are true and fair in nature. People have lost confidence with reporters as it is often observed that reporters are forced to cover and report details that may be true and fair in nature. This has resulted in low trust regarding political parties and people are constantly changing their choices in relation to choosing of political powers that would be in power. According to Blassnig et al. (2019), politicians want reporters to publish reports in social media platforms that are false in nature and not even allow them to check authenticity. It is often observed that though reporters focus on highlighting facts and information that are genuine and true in nature, politicians put pressure towards making sure that information of their choices is communicated.
People have become less comfortable with fake information that is circulated by reporters and politicians and as a result of which Governments are forced to make new rules and laws. People have become highly aware in relation to distinguishing between fake and genuine news and as a result trusts in both reporters and politicians are declining consistently. As commented by Aljazeera (2022), Boris Johnson maintained a close relationship with reporters and media during elections, highlighting that failure of Labor Party towards exit of Brexit. Conservative Party in UK is still maintaining a relationship with reporters so that policies in relation to equality can be delivered to targeted customers. Reporters of UK are trying to focus on introduction of facts and information that are not fake in nature but people in power are restricting them from publishing genuine information. People of UK have become aware regarding false information that has been transmitted by Conservative Party and they have started losing belief.
There is a question that has evolved in mind of audiences regarding how much accountable political parties are that are in power and also whether demands are being fulfilled. As opined by Zimmermann and Kohring (2020), there is a drop in beliefs amongst people regarding both political parties and reporters whether information conveyed is true and fair in nature. This in turn has created a sense of tension amongst political parties as they are unsure whether they would be selected in next election and as a result they are taking help from reporters for publishing positive information. It can be stated that reporters do not have a positive relationship with politicians and they are constantly influenced towards presenting their personalities in such a way so that targeted audiences feel satisfied. According to Nguyen et al. (2020), political leader’s force and influence reporters so that only positive information is communicated and there is a stoppage in the spread of negative information. Political leaders make sure that while reporting reporter’s present facts and information though may be fake in nature in a way so that chances of winning increases in next elections and people have presence of trust and accountability within them.
Conclusion
To conclude it can be stated that journalists and reporters as a watchdog constantly need to publish information and facts that are highlighted by political leaders. This has resulted in drop in belief and trust amongst people along with there is fear regarding accountability of actions that are initiated by political leaders. Press and media play an important role for political leaders and they constantly keep a relationship with them so that views and opinions can be easily communicated. There exists a thin relationship amongst political leaders and reporters and though reporters focus on representing true information, they are forced to deliver opinions of political leaders.
References
Aljazeera (2022). About: Media helping Boris Johnson. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/12/18/how-the-british-media-helped-boris-johnson-win. [Accessed on 12th March 2022]
Blassnig, S., Ernst, N., Büchel, F., Engesser, S. and Esser, F., (2019). Populism in online election coverage: Analyzing populist statements by politicians, journalists, and readers in three countries. Journalism Studies, 20(8), pp.1110-1129.
Cammaerts, B., DeCillia, B. and Magalhães, J.C., (2020). Journalistic transgressions in the representation of Jeremy Corbyn: From watchdog to attackdog. Journalism, 21(2), pp.191-208.
Firstdraftnews (2022). About: Misinformation during UK election. Available at: https://firstdraftnews.org/articles/misinfo-types-uk-election/. [Accessed 6th March 2022]
Huckmag (2022). About: UK Media and Torries. Available at: https://www.huckmag.com/perspectives/opinion-perspectives/how-the-uk-media-became-a-mouthpiece-for-the-tories/. [Accessed on 4th March 2022]
Hussein, H.H.S., (2018). The role of news media in supporting democracy in Kurdistan Region. Nottingham Trent University (United Kingdom).
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Mellado, C. ed., (2020). Beyond journalistic norms: Role performance and news in comparative perspective. Routledge.
Nguyen, N.H., Phan, H.V. and Simpson, T., 2020. Political corruption and mergers and acquisitions. Journal of Corporate Finance, 65, p.101765.
Nytimes (2022). About: Influence of Conservative Party on Politics. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/world/europe/elections-disinformation-social-media.html. [Accessed on 10th March 2022]
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Plantin, J.C. and Punathambekar, A., (2019). Digital media infrastructures: pipes, platforms, and politics. Media, culture & society, 41(2), pp.163-174.
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Shu, K., Wang, S., Lee, D. and Liu, H., (2020). Mining disinformation and fake news: Concepts, methods, and recent advancements. In Disinformation, Misinformation, and Fake News in Social Media (pp. 1-19). Springer, Cham.
Van Dalen, A., (2021). Rethinking journalist–politician relations in the age of populism: How outsider politicians delegitimize mainstream journalists. Journalism, 22(11), pp.2711-2728.
Visentin, M., Pizzi, G. and Pichierri, M., (2019). Fake news, real problems for brands: the impact of content truthfulness and source credibility on consumers’ behavioral intentions toward the advertised brands. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 45, pp.99-112.
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