PROFESSIONALISM IN JOURNALISM, THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY DILEMMA

It is a known fact that journalists collect, write, or distributes news or other current information. It is this work that qualifies to be a journalist. This is s profession that sees the society through digital lens, magnifies the situation and sometimes the situation magnifies the profession. There are those who specialize in reporting specific issues in the society and those who are general in what they do.

Journalists have a great power to direct the general thinking of the populace in a particular direction. It is this power that journalism has that needs to be guarded at all costs. One may ask what happens if the journalist who interview participants on sensitive investigative issues disappear or the information is destroyed and warned to keep off. These among other threats have significantly affected the profession to the extent that they are compromised in the course of their duty to do like the “master” please.

In Kenya, it is almost a culture that the elite controls the media. We see them being issued with threats and sometimes denied coverage of some events. The government may wish to censure media which may come with its advantage and disadvantages. However, if the intention is good, then we hope to see changes that are much needed in quality reporting. On the other hand, if a journalist’s intention is not right, we may see a profession that is subjected to unreasonable laws that may gag the media into doing what they are supposed to do.

It is high time that those who wish to join this profession build themselves to brace up with the emerging challenges in the media fraternity. We need journalists with high integrity, who do not use information gathered to issue threats and enrich themselves, but to serve the society by letting them know what is happening around them. It is these endeavors that should cloud minds of young minds that are groomed to take over the duties of journalism. We hope that clubs in schools will offer students with the necessary skills that are required to make them competent in the field.

The fate of future journalism will be in safe hands if “journalism” gives just the exact and accurate information that is given out without necessarily adding speculations and comments that are not justifiable. Bloggers should be aware that they need to do quality jobs. If journalism is made more professional, then we will see lesser, and minor complaints from the parties that feel offended by media.

Authors:

Duncan Mnyogha & Dennis Nangabo