The document discusses the key elements and principles of journalism according to Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel. It states that the primary purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with reliable information to be self-governing. Additionally, it asserts that journalism's main obligations are to the truth, independence from powerful entities, and serving as a monitor of those in power. The document also emphasizes that journalism should maintain verification, make stories relevant and interesting, and allow for public criticism and comment.

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The Elements of
Journalism
What role does journalism play within our society
and the world we live in?

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The Elements of Journalism
 The primary purpose of journalism is to provide citizens
with the information they need to be free and self-
governing.
 The news media helps us to define our community.
 It helps us create a common knowledge and language rooted
in reality.
 It helps a community identify it’s goals, heroes and villains.
 The real meaning of the 1st Amendment means that
journalism must be an independent institution.

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth.
 Our primary duty is to get the facts right.
 News is the material that people use to learn and think about
the world beyond themselves.
 Because of this, the information must be usable and reliable.
 For truth to prevail, journalists must make clear to whom they
owe their first loyalty.

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalism’s first loyalty is to citizens.
 This gave birth to the phrase “journalistic independence.”
 Consumers know that the restaurant review they are reading
was not influenced by that same restaurant's ad in the paper,
online or on their broadcast.
 Because of this, journalists must maintain ethical guidelines
by not accepting gifts, etc. by those whom they cover.

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The Elements of Journalism
 The essence of journalism is a discipline of verification.
 All your life your parents have told you, “We love you.”
 Two things; 1) How do you know they love you? 2)How do
you know they are your parents?
 Journalism alone is focused on getting what happened down
right.
 A journalist is someone who steps away from the table and
tries to see it all.

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalists must maintain an independence from those
they cover.
 We move in their world but it is THEIR world.
 Conflict of interest: when a journalist covers a story about an
event, place, person, etc. in which they are personally
involved.
 This independence is even more important when you
consider…

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalists must serve as an independent monitor of
power.
 Watergate – 1972 – President Nixon is caught involved in a
break-in of the Democratic National Committee and resigns
as president.
 More than just government, it extends to all powerful
institutions in society.
 Journalism gives voice to the voiceless.

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalism must provide a forum for public criticism and
comment.
 Journalism serves as a public forum, a place for the sharing
of information, ideas and the debate of those ideas.
 This comes in the form of letters to the editor, phone forums,
guest columnists, etc.
 This forum must adhere to all other principles and relate to
the role journalism plays in a democracy.

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalists must make the significant relevant and
interesting.
 There is no such thing as a boring story, there are only boring
reporters.
 Journalists are storytellers, with a purpose.

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalists should keep the news in proportion and make
it comprehensive.
 A front page story that is fun and interesting but by no
reasonable definition contains anything significant is a
distortion.
 Consumers should ask:
1. Can we see the whole community in the coverage?
2. Do I see myself?
3. Does the report include a fair mix of what most people
would consider either interesting or significant.

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The Elements of Journalism
 Journalists have an obligation to personal conscience.
 Every journalist must have a sense of personal ethics and
responsibility – a moral compass.
 They must recognize a personal obligation to disagree with
editors, owners, advertisers, and even citizens.