Between the scrolling epidemic, dependency on technology, and the influx of fake news, classic journalism has taken a backseat to fast-track media. The notion of opening up a physical newspaper is no longer prevalent, and understandably so. Why would you read a newspaper when you have infinite information on your phone?
The staff of The Hawkeye believes that journalism is utterly essential.
Specifically, student journalism serves as an important outlet for personal expression. It gives students an opportunity to convey their opinions to the community in a unique way. Whether it be writing a news article about a new development in the district, crafting a movie review of a recent hit, or delving in-depth into a topic the writer is passionate about, journalism serves an important purpose. It gives the reader and the writer the ability to learn. As the writer, student journalism allows for improvement in a variety of ways. Not only does it strengthen writing abilities overall, but it opens a new realm of personal expression that is typically left untouched.
As the reader, journalism acts as a reliable source of information. The process of writing and editing a story can be long, yet it is effective in establishing accuracy and credibility. Beginning with interviews, the writer is able to collect valid information directly from the source, creating a sense of credibility, while simultaneously promoting collaboration and community outreach. This is a vital aspect of a student-run newspaper. In order to generate stories, the community must become involved. It allows us, as students, to strengthen our leadership and communication abilities within our community. Additionally, the editing process creates a system that ensures articles are free of errors. First sent to the section editor (News, OP/ ED, Entertainment, Sports, and Feature) for tone accuracy, then forwarded to the Copy editors who correct grammatical mistakes, the story is then relayed to the Editors in Chief for a look at the story overall, and lastly given to the adviser for a final round of edits. The procedures performed by the newspaper staff combat inaccuracy and create a reliable source of information for the reader, unlike the frequent fake news outbreaks online. It can become hard to tell when a source is trustworthy. According to Forbes Magazine, “Our phones are never far from our sides, granting us instant access to the web at large. Yet, their tiny screens and on-the-go usage promotes the very behaviors that help ‘fake news,’ misinformation, disinformation, and foreign influence spread, by discouraging us from researching the things we read.” This proves why journalism is so important; it serves as a consistent source of valid information.
It is crucial that journalism is cherished and protected. Not only does it provide reliable information, but it also gives the writer an opportunity to be heard. Writing often acts as a form of self-expression, especially in journalism. There are very few circumstances where a writer is able to freely express their thoughts and opinions to the community, journalism is one of them.
Within our student newspaper, The Hawkeye, our staff has become a tight-knit community. Being a part of the Hawkeye has changed our perspective on journalism greatly. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment to produce a newspaper, yet the benefits reaped are beyond compare.
