Today in class we learned about how journalism has evolved overtime and how the roles are changing. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a journalist is “ a person engaged in journalism, especially a writer or editor for a news medium.” The old way of news in gone. News is no longer subjective to the Anchor Woman at Channel 5 or the journalist from the big time newspaper ferociously typing away on his typewriter trying to make deadline for the Sunday paper. Through revolutions in technology such as the Internet a whole new breed of reports have immerged. The lines of who is a journalist and who is not have definitely blurred. Bloggers and even talk show host are now considered journalist because in the eyes of their viewers, listeners, or readers they give the public vital information.
Personally I don’t believe that shows like E-Hollywood or Katie Couric’s new show “Katie” is a credible news source. Shows like that diminish the essence of journalism by digging up dirty secrets and rotting the brains of their audience. I do agree that a journalist still must show professionalism and trustworthiness. There are too many people with opinions and not enough people with solid facts. Twenty years ago individuals had to earn the right to call themselves a journalist. Now anyone can log onto his or her computer, create a blog, and instantly they’re called a journalist. Unfortunately as the Internet continues to expand, I only see this disease of improper journalism getting worse before it gets better.