What Makes A Good Journalist

Journalism is a profession that gives hope to the hopeless and voice to the muted and voiceless yet, it is one of the profession under serious threats especially with the rise of populists leaders like Donald Trump. The importance of the profession cannot be exaggerated since the absence of it would mean a world without information to satisfy human curiosity. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, he'll prefer a media without government than a government without the media. This show the critical role the media of journalists play to bring us information to satisfy our curiosity in an evolving society.

Journalists are not demigods who cannot err in their work yet, there are constantly taken on by the people whom they carry messages to. In as much are there are good and professional journalists, there are also quacks among them who disregard their work ethics and some times becomes lapdog journalists and wag their tails to their paymasters. As a good journalist, your work must be hinged on the following core principles;

Public Services

As a good journalist, you must provide public service by serving as a watchdog in the society. Your role as a public servant must manifest itself in the way you collect and disseminate information to the public. You must bear in mind that, your role as a watchdog is to serve the people by unearthing burry secrets of public interests.

Ethics

As a journalist, you must work according to certain standards and ethics that guides your profession. You must be ethical in the type of stories you publish while balancing it to that of public interest and welfare. You should be sincere and take responsible of your action. Your work must have legitimacy and validity and not based on mere allegations or heresy.

Objectivity

As a good journalist, your work must be devoid of partiality and your must be fair, neutral and credible in your work. Objective here does not mean you cannot take sides or position on an issue. But let your position be known and don't try to mislead the public as if you're neutral.

Autonomy

A good journalist is the one who's independent in their work and does not allow the interference from others to persuade him to take an action or decision that is not of public interest. Your work must not be influence by advertisers, corporate bodies or government agencies. You are must be courageous and stick to issues without allowing interference from elsewhere.

Knowledgeable

A good journalist must be knowledgeable in his field of practice in such a way that, complex jargons and terminologies can be explain to the understanding of the public. A journalist must not be inept about issues on which he writes and must be able to bring the dots and exhaust together to make a story. This would ultimately help the journalist to make news out of nothing without compromising on ethical standards.

I believe the above mentions are the qualities and values good journalist should posses in other to succeed in the profession. Thanks for Reading