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The Invaluable Art of Journalism: Staff Editorial

The+Invaluable+Art+of+Journalism%3A+Staff+Editorial

Humans all have a fundamental need to understand the world around us. For many, in the age of the internet we turn to Facebook or Twitter for our news and information about what is happening in the world today, but true journalism sometimes gets lost in the endless chasm of the internet among so many unchecked facts and faulty information. True journalism and powerful reporting are still essential to the average person because it provides facts.

Journalism is the lifeblood of any healthy society. The art of journalism creates a healthier society because it informs individuals. In our society, where we value democracy and liberty, it is essential that we also have an informed public to participate in that democracy.

Journalism can expose injustices that exist, such as in the case of the Watergate scandal. It was the work of Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward in a series of Pulitzer Prize winning articles that exposed the corruption and wrongdoing of Richard Nixon and his accomplices. There are countless examples throughout history of reporters working selflessly in the pursuit of an informed public.

Journalism has a powerful human presence as well. Journalism has the power to connect societies and the people of these societies on a human basis. Photojournalists for example possess the power to create empathy for people and their plights through their work. Some of the most famous journalist pictures of all time have elicited emotional responses in their viewers. The portrait of a young Afghan girl with piercing eyes interested and enthralled people within the United States. As a result the harsh conditions of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan was brought to the attention of the American public. Without these timeless works of photojournalism and reporting we are left with a less empathetic and emotionally connected American public.

Just as journalism connects people across borders and between nations, journalism has the power to connect students. As a member of a student journalism staff it is your duty to be up to date on school news and have your ear to the ground regarding school happenings. Regardless of  actual personal involvement in any club or activity you can still be a part of it through covering it for the paper. You become immersed in student life and become a more informed member of the school community as a result.

Invaluable skills are taught in newspaper class that simply can not be gained through traditional, core classes. In core classes students work for the teacher, producing material that they will hand in to the teacher and be given back with a grade written on it. In newspaper class students create work for a collective mixing pot of ideas and designs known as The Howler. Grades are given based on meeting deadlines, but all the work you create is seen by the entire student population and community at large. The work that is created in newspaper class is bigger than a grade, it is a priceless piece of history for the school. In 50 years when people look back at the archaic year 2013 they will read old newspapers and see what was important to students and the community as a whole.

Real work place skills are gained in newspaper class. It is essential that when people go out into the world they know how to collaborate with a group of people. Basic human interaction is becoming a lost art form of sorts. The ability to create a product that is a shared vision of multiple people and accurately represent each person’s original vision is a talent that many people struggle with. Even our Congress in the United States today struggles to create legislation that is a shared vision of all members. Compromising some of one’s personal beliefs in order to accommodate another person’s viewpoint is essential in life. In L205A when we are creating the newspaper all members bring their own vision and outlook to the table and we mash them all together to create The Howler each month.

The idea behind The Howler is to provide a voice to each and every student in the school, a lofty goal. By joining the newspaper staff, writing a guest column, or interacting with us online you can help us achieve this goal of creating a representative forum for student expression. What’s better is by joining the newspaper staff you yourself become a more wholesome, well-rounded person with applicable real world skills, not just a grade in the gradebook.

Love always,
The Howler Staff

 

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