The Value of Professional Journalism

By Natalie DeRoche and Kately Rivero

In a world where information about almost anything is readily available and in the palm of our hand, professional journalism can seem as if it’s drowning in a wave of tweets, online searches, Facebook posts, memes, and Snapchat videos.

However, it’s because of this wave of information that professional journalism may be more important than ever.

With the proliferation of unverified stories, viral tweets, and other snippets that only tell part of the story, professional journalism provides a truthful voice that accurately depicts the events that seem to grow more and more complicated with each passing day.

Professional journalists do this by following a system of verification, which sets them apart from other storytellers in other fields. They also strive to serve the public, not corporations, government bodies, or any other special interests. Their number one goal is to provide citizens with the information they need to be free and self-governing.

Professional journalism has always been a strong voice against a controlling government, the “truthful” source reporting the real facts. And now it strives to break through the noise and the overwhelming information dump to deliver clear, concise, and accurate coverage of events big and small.

While rumors, spin, and propaganda are launched into the sea of information that surrounds us, professional journalism rises to the top and is a lifesaver for the truth, preventing it and our freedoms from drowning.