‘I am a journalist by profession’ might sound an impressive introduction of oneself to some, or a low-rent pursuit to several. It might appear like a sham to someone who thinks that journalism is only a deliberate act trying to disguise as the more sophisticated, proudly-termed profession; while another is certain that there is professionalism in this line of work, evenly weighed-up with the competence of lawyers, doctors and engineers.
While there is flexibility of employment in America, where professionals can work as part-time waiters or ‘gasoline boys’ and consider themselves well compensated for the job, the idea of this practice in the Philippines, however, disappointingly becomes something that someone will not take pride for. Filipino scholars (or even some who are not) crave for executive positions, not only because it is everyone else’s dream, but also because it is more difficult for a blue-collar worker to survive an overly growing family. Hence, education becomes one of the criteria for demanding a high-paid job in the country.
Training,
Experience and Journalism
The Philippine journalism is not an exemption. We unlikely run through classified advertisements which demand undergraduates for a writer or reporter post. Some even demand applicants who are a cum laude or a graduate degree holder. Others might take another stand, but in the Philippines where education popularly becomes as ‘the only inheritance parents can leave to their children,’ journalism is a profession taken advantage of for telling-more-about-oneself, with straight body and chin up.
On
the other hand, American journalist Steven Greenhut* says that ‘sometimes,
great acts of journalism are the work of average citizens.’1 Greenhut’s
statement supports his standpoint that ‘journalism is an act, not a
profession.’1 In the Philippine context, these ‘great acts’ are news
stories we hear about every day. ABS-CBN Corporation, one of the Philippine’s
leading information and entertainment media conglomerates, airs on national TV
its news segment Citizen Patrol. The media
company recognizes the impact of the contribution of the community to news
coverage and, indeed, many of these exposed issues were resolved through the TV
Patrol’s easy and community-participatory news-gathering strategy. But are
these patrollers considered for a job
interview? Was any one of them given an opportunity to write a news article for
the company? Not at all. People cannot just post something newsworthy online then
consider it a proficient experience to qualify for a journalist post, because
journalism is not just an act; it is a ‘paid occupation, involving prolonged
training and a formal qualification’ (Oxford Dictionaries).
Since
Filipinos are educationally dependent, the Philippine media multinationals most
likely call for professionally competent journalists, those who as students
were trained not just to be socially responsible but also to be critical
professionals—aware of the power and responsibilities of the press, committed
to defend press freedom, and raged for highest professional and ethical
standards.2 Frequently, competence starts with an undergraduate
course, then armored with years of experience.
Sensationalizing Civilian
Journalism
Media
law specialist Klaus Pohle* also disputes the professionalization of
journalism, stressing that ‘anybody can be a journalist and anybody should be
able to be a journalist.’3 He identified citizen journalists as one
of the diverse voices evidently heard in the society. This opportunity has
permitted the populace to define (1) being politically concerned, (2) showing
public interest, (3) contributing social development through information
dissemination as the now layman’s term journalism. But journalism is more than being
socially responsible, since becoming one is only a core value and motive for
being a professional journalist. The only point where citizen journalism and
journalism as a profession meet is at its core value—to be socially involved.
Beyond that point, journalism as a profession moves upward to master its
principles, manners, ethics, publications—which the socially concerned public
does not immerse into. Journalism then is being professionalized.
The
downward movement of journalism to the grassroots level (e.g. GMA's YouScoop, a
citizen journalism platform, ABS-CBN's Citizen Patrol) undeniably provides a transparent grid for
politics, economics, poverty, corruption, education or community. Through civic
journalism vis-à-vis the mobilization of the common residents who are socially
involved, media men get to let people witness a story which an official TV
correspondent missed. However, there are still professionals working behind
submitted video clips. And the job of the citizen journalists starts from their
motive of recording and ends with the stop button of whatever gadget they
utilize for recording. Public journalism is not journalism per se but a part of
journalism as a whole, which is, the profession. When debaters see only the core
value of journalism (which is best portrayed through citizen journalism),
journalism is being materialized as solely civic journalism, that is, sensationalized to
augment the persistence of the public for social contribution and exposure.
Heart and Skills
Although
social conscience as the basic value is existent, journalism requires skills
not every concerned commoner acquires. If doctors have scientific skills, journalists
then are good data crunchers and story tellers. As memorization (or at least
deep comprehension) of the constitution and laws is required of lawyers, news
writers are likewise expected to know and adhere to the journalist’s code of
ethics. Given this context, the public should be more mindful of understanding
what journalism is and what it is not, in the same way of how they understand
that engineering is not only about a façade; detailing needs more attention. Just
like all these professions, journalists possess or at least have learned
writing, news gathering and reporting skills. Again, journalism weighs more than
just the heart. Skills and expertise are compulsory.
The
absence of a licensing scheme in journalism is not a ground for people to term
journalism as simply an act.
Standpoints
are laid down to argue against ‘journalism is not a profession.’ Since we now
consider journalism as one, just like in any other professions, journalism can
be unprofessional, too. Negligence to just either of its core value, ethics,
manner, training or education brings forth de-professionalization of
journalism.
Given
all these points, yes, journalism is a profession. But an absence of one makes
unprofessional journalism, which is far worse and of less value than the
sensationalized, untrained and uneducated public journalism. ♥
* Steven
Greenhut is vice president of journalism at the Franklin Center for Government
and Public Integrity, an online news organization driving a conversation about
transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility at the grassroots level
and putting a human face on public policy.
1 Steven Greenhut, “Journalism is an act, not a
profession,” 11 July 2013, <https://www.urbanschool.org >
2 University
of the Philippines Diliman, “Journalism,”
<http://masscomm.upd.edu.ph/journalism>
* Klaus
Pohle is an associate professor at Carleton University, the capital university
in Canada. His statement was one of the key ideas debated on the
professionalization of journalism at the University of Ottawa.
3 Belinda
Alzner, “Can journalism be a profession?” 17 January 2012, < http://j-source.ca/article/can-journalism-be-profession>
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Note: This media debate essay was submitted as a requirement in one of my subjects for my MA. It can be a blog entry, too, right? ;)
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