Journalism should not be just a trade , it should be a crusade Essay

Journalism should not be just a trade , it should be a crusade . should journalists have a moral responsibility to stand up fo - Essay Example As we all know,  information is power, and if this power is concentrated into the hands of only a few, may lead to inappropriate handling or abuse of the power. It is for this reason, shared power is a safer option for the benefit of the entire society, and it is here that the journalists play the important role of redistributing this power of information. Since journalists have the task of redistributing information, in the process, they may partake in some of the power which is associated with information, and it is here that the role of ethics and responsibilities comes into play. Ethics is a form of commitment where one pledges not to abuse power, and to use the accorded freedom with responsibility, which is never an easy task. There is always an underlying tension between the ethics of freedom and responsibility. Here the dynamics between these two contending ethical factors in respect to an individual or a society can be divided into two main perspectives. The libertarian per spective (of the Enlightenment era), gives more emphasis on the freedom of an individual or the rational being. This perspective has been always prevalent in the US form of journalism, where the press has been accorded complete freedom, at least theoretically. The other view is the communitarian perspective, which emphasises on establishing social or  community connections, with certain responsibilities on both sides, which was clearly outlined in the Hutchins Commission on Freedom of the Press  published in 1947. The report brought in the theory of ‘social responsibility,’ where the press was said to be under moral obligations to work for the general well being of the society; and the modern concept of ‘civic journalism movement’ was formed, based on these guidelines as given in the Commission (Nerone, 1995, 77-100). In this article, I will examine the various theories of journalism, and will analyse, to come to a conclusion as to whether the journalis ts should have a moral responsibility to stand up for the weak against the powerful within a society? Discussion Ethics and journalism: Ethics is the process of analysing and evaluating certain facts and situations, and identifying the correct conduct in the light of the various principles and the prevalent social and religious norms of a particular time. Here the basic question does not simply end at asking as to how one can live well, but also puts in the question as to how one should live by the rules of one’s ethics, while foregoing some of the personal advantages, and even face persecution, as he carries on with his ethical duties. Ethical reasoning is often based on personal interpretations, as one examines and changes his principles, in view of the available new types of information and technology, and new social conditions (Ward, 2007). Ethics thus encompasses both the aspects of theoretical and one’s personal practical reasoning. As regards theoretical reasoni ng, ethics is the study of the various existing forms of ethics, and the types of prevalent ethical reasoning, and of the neutrality of the moral/ ethical principles. In case of practical reasoning, ethics is â€Å"applied ethics,† or the application of the ethical principles to check their suitability in the various dimensions of life domains like while dealing with scientific research, professional work, and also in corporate governance (Dimock & Tucker, 2004). Journalism is a type of ‘applied ethics,’ which involves the analysis and the application of