COMS5000 - Reflecting on Critique: Journalism's Impact on Democracy

This essay is a reflective piece on the role of journalism in a democracy, emphasizing its impact on society, culture, and governance. It explores how an independent press combats corruption, provides economic information, and empowers citizens. The essay also discusses the media's role in shaping attitudes and behaviors, using the example of 'Child Abuse and the Media'. While acknowledging the effectiveness of media campaigns in raising awareness, it also addresses criticisms regarding their cost and the need for direct citizen intervention. The author concludes that journalists should advocate for societal challenges without promoting violence, highlighting the media's potential for positive change.

Running head: REFLECTING ON CRITIQUE
Reflecting on Critique
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Author Note:

1REFLECTING ON CRITIQUE
Journalism’s immensely important role in the democracy is often forgotten amidst the
messy nature of economy and clamor of debate. Recent examples of success in the field of
journalism and its substantial impacts over different news media investigations have
impressed the audience to a huge extent. The press plays a vital role in rooting out corruption
and creating better practices and laws all across the world. It has the power to change the
living pattern of the individuals (Sloan, 2014). According to me, independent and quality
journalism has a very positive impact upon the society. This should be viewed as the critical
development outcome.
With the preceding data in mind, I came to know that a reflective piece of writing
proves to be an immensely important process for my own development in the professional
field. The assessment is being divided into three categories suggesting where the press has
been showing its positive effects on the societies and culture. Firstly, corruption impacts the
society to a huge extent and that too, in a negative manner, especially in furthering income
inequality and poverty. Several studies have revealed a strong link between a strong,
independent and free press with reduced corruption at the countries. An independent and free
press has the power to expose public as well as private sector corruption. Journalists monitor
the government officials in order to increase the knowledge of the voters.
An independent press also allows the voters to hold the corrupted politicians
accountable at the time of elections. It helps in reducing the number of corrupted politicians
at societies. Being a student of journalism, I understand how the journalists struggle in order
to keep their credibility and objectivity intact. In addition to this, they serve the society and
contribute at large, for the betterment of the individuals. Moreover, the economic actors
require timely and accurate information for allocating the resources efficiently. The
independent press has the power of providing right information regarding the economic

2REFLECTING ON CRITIQUE
policy development procedure by monitoring their movements (Aitamurto, 2015). This in
turn, leads to more effective and efficient economic policies.
As per my opinion is concerned, the citizens should participate productivity for the
development of sustainable and justified living environment. The participation requires a
highly informed citizenry. An independent and free media supply relevant as well as timely
information to the citizens and allow them to change their own attitudes and behavior.
Moreover, it ensures higher societal standards for the communities. Media improves the
governance by monitoring actions of those with immense power and alerting the target
audience regarding abuse of trust or corruption (Iggers, 2018). By providing the public with
easy accessibility, the press empowers the citizens to demand accountability and quality from
their respective government officials.
The debate still continues; however, several researches have stressed upon the leading
role that independent press plays in the overall process of improving the democratic
governance. On evaluating decades of information and data related to political development
and press freedom Berry (2016), examined that the healthy sector of press is hugely
correlated with the broader areas of political freedoms. The countries have experienced sharp
decreases or increases in the political freedom due to the factor of press freedom. It is often
seen as a lead indicator for directing the country’s political systems.
The press tends to represent the events of the world in terms of warfare and economic
crisis as well. It is basically the authorities’ decisions of how these crises can be resolved.
Moreover, the media plays a significant role in influencing and forming the attitudes as well
as behavior of the individuals. For instance; ‘Child Abuse and the Media’ drew attention of
the media’s essential role and increased the awareness of the society. The independent press
played an important role in throwing light on the situation and featured several child abuse

3REFLECTING ON CRITIQUE
cases, intervention and research strategies. The media attention over child abuse has
influenced the public in a positive manner. In addition to this, the political as well as
professional responses to the overall circumstances helped in ensuring political backup
(Thwaites, Davis & Mules, 2002).
According to my opinion, understanding the influences of the media and how to use it
constructively is immensely important. Moreover, it is an essential tool for the ones who
advocate for young people, children and families. In addition to the news stories,
investigative journalism and feature articles, several prevention and mass media education
campaigns are being launched. Usually, these type of media campaigns endeavor to broaden
the community knowledge regarding ill practices of the society. It helps in influencing the
individual’s attitudes or behaviors and contributes to the betterment of the society. However,
I have examined that even after the independent press keep on organizing several awareness
campaigns, their effectiveness remains contentious (Shapiro et al., 2007).
Primarily, the mass media’s effectiveness in improving or aiding the society is often
neglected and debatable. For instance; Thwaites, Davis & Mules (2002) argued that the
media campaigns are expensive and also, their impacts are difficult to identify or determine.
The media campaigns that are expensive in nature can prove to be a challenge for justifying
the political climate, where limited resources or funds are being provided for addressing the
societal needs. Furthermore, O'shaughnessy & Stadler (2012) examined that the independent
press is effective in building citizen awareness of any issue. However, often the behavioral
and attitudinal changes require direct forms of citizen intervention or contact. Many
individuals argue that the mass media coverage or campaigns perform a significant role in
placing the societal issues on the political and public agenda. The independent press has a
central role in the dissemination of information and formation of public opinion.

4REFLECTING ON CRITIQUE
Therefore, it can be concluded that the media is independent in nature, which provides
huge opportunities to communicate with a large number of people and target particular
groups. The campaigns must be effective as well as efficient to address the societal problems
in order to aid or improve their functioning. In my opinion, journalists should have the
willingness to advocate for the societal challenges, without promoting violence.

5REFLECTING ON CRITIQUE
References
Aitamurto, T. (2015). Motivation factors in crowdsourced journalism: Social impact, social
change, and peer learning.
Berry, D. (2016). Journalism, ethics and society. Routledge.
Iggers, J. (2018). Good news, bad news: Journalism ethics and the public interest. Routledge.
O'shaughnessy, M., & Stadler, J. (2012). Media and society. Oxford University Press.
Shapiro, A., Weg, A., Mall, A., Brown, B., Clinton, D., Knox, D., ... & Schadlick, J. (2007).
The Chicago School of Media Theory Theorizing Media since 2003. NOTES.
Sloan, W. D. (2014). Makers of the media mind: Journalism educators and their ideas.
Routledge.
Thwaites, T., Davis, L., & Mules, W. (2002). Introducing cultural and media studies: a
semiotic approach. Palgrave.