The Role of a Journalist

August 8, 2007 - 7:30 AM by Stephanie

Let’s clear something up front. Here at Israelity, we strive to present the quirky side of Israel. The uncomfortable but not excruciating. The subtle stories brushed aside by “busy insiders” but longed for by “abroad dwellers” seeking tidbits from home.

OCCASIONALLY, however, a story (or eight or ten) will strike a chord and, well, we just can’t sidestep the politics or issue at hand. It takes grandiose effort, in fact, NOT to incorporate the daily hard news in this blog. After all, it’s what we routinely ingest in these here parts.

But yesterday, when editor David Brinn’s daughter was one of the forces responsible for clearing out the settlers hunkered down in Hebron, he felt compelled to write it. And readers responded. Hey. It’s a hot issue.

Today it’s my turn.

Paula of paulasays has posted a very lengthy commentary on the same subject but her focus is on the role of journalistic cover. In this post, Paula blames the media for deliberately shaping news by choosing to either ignore or show up at events based upon personal gain calculations. She makes numerous other points but this is what I’ll address for now.

My rebuttal as a journalist: Yes, journalists and media outfits shape images, impressions and world views. They determine what the masses will see and what they won’t. They can influence political outcomes and help formulate ideas.

And yes, Journalism’s ultimate purpose is to inform the reader (or viewer…slf)…and never to permit the serving of special interests ….NY Times founder Arthur Ochs Sulzberger.

But any morally accountable journalist who has been around the block is 1) aware of his/her personal political views & 2) constantly questions and re-questions him/herself regarding those views versus each new story at hand.

That means we take decisions based upon moral implications, public appeal, potential damage and a whole host of other factors. Including whether or not a story has mass appeal and saleability.

At times the calculations are an INCREDIBLE burden. And that’s an understatement.

I don’t think it’s fair to lump all of Israel’s media into a dark dreary pool of self-interest seeking moral deficients. Of the international media parties I’ve experienced, Israel’s might be aggressive and outspoken but its members often hold themselves to near neurotic standards of self-questioning accompanied by a willingness to re-configure along the way.

Credit is due. And it’s not being granted if the media at large is being targeted.

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