Journalism in the 21st Century

By: Gavin Kelleher-Marciello – Editor in Chief

May 25, 2018

Some say journalists are a dying breed, slowly fizzling away with their dreary old newspapers, devoured by the digital age of the 21st century. In the current state of our national community, information circulates through the twisted lines of the internet, as American youth have become accustomed to “fake news,” clickbait, and shortened attention spans. Older generations gawk at the absurdity and complexity of so called “news”, remarking on the simplicity of “back in [their] day.”  

As a generation born with a dependency on technology, information distribution has become unmanageable. Opinion has quickly taken over what formerly was called news. From political polarization, to social media clickbait, and rapid tweeting, this has produced a society that is severely misinformed. Generated by personal algorithms and selective reporting, journalism appears too have lost its value. On a singular level misinformation can seem harmless and even reversible. When a whole generation is being raised to believe that facts are supplementary, we not only endanger these young citizens’ future, we are also endangering our country as a whole.

Yet in the midst of the chaos,  journalists climb from the depths of false narratives emerging as noble truth-seekers. Journalists serve as editorial gatekeepers,investigating and seeking the truth in every story they provide for the public. Journalism has the power to unmask corruption and tell the stories that would otherwise be unheard, in this sense they have the ability to capture the essence of humanity, both beautiful and ugly. In the wise words of Oprah Winfrey  “The truth exonerates and convicts.” 

When journalist distributed information throughout a community a ripple effect occurs. That information then travels to other communities, and in an educated society it then stimulates even more thirst for knowledge. The reach of this ripple is endless. Knowledge evokes compassion, understanding, and applicability. This awareness then reflects on human relations, which ultimately determines international relations. The boundless importance of real news is directly correlated to the prosperity of a whole society. Journalism is vital in a democracy.

The journalist is far from a dying breed. These writers are working tirelessly to restore the vibrancy in reporting, with the courage to speak on behalf of the voiceless, the willingness to stand up against corporate greed and corruption in the name of democracy, journalists are essential to a free nation.

About Gavin Kelleher 24 Articles
Hello, my name is Gavin Kelleher-Marciello. I am a senior at SCHS, I moved to SC my junior year from Ocean Beach, San Diego. Having the opportunity to be a part of Triton Times has been an incredible experience. From the influence of other skilled young writers, to seeing this newspaper really flourish, Triton Times is a community I am more than proud to be a part of. As my last year writing for this paper I can't wait to witness the growth, awareness and connection that will develop between Triton Times and SC students. I hope to pursue a career in journalism, this is only the beginning.

3 Comments on Journalism in the 21st Century

  1. I totally agree Gavin. As unfortunate as it is, our country no longer seems to respect journalism and the pursuit of truth due to harmful rhetoric by our president. Despite the necessity of journalism in our society, it is being degraded and destroyed. It is up to the independence of individual writers to restore it.

  2. I didn’t have any expectations regarding that name, but the more I was amazed.
    The writer did a great job. I spent a couple of minutes studying
    and assessing the facts. Everything is crystal clear and
    understandable.

3 Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. What does 21st Century journalism look like? – Sydney Media
  2. Journalism of the 21st Century – The Blog of all Trades
  3. Education in the Digital Age – The Blog of all Trades

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*