Monday 25 September 2006

Define News

News is whatever is being bought and sold as the currency of current.
News is created by decisions, events or tradegies.
I believe that news is in the eye of the beholder. Whether it be the media outlet's with their political and realistic/cynical veteran filters, or the individual or community who considers it to be of interest to them. We can only process and store so much information in our minds, so we tend to really pick and choose. News that affects thus stated community, region or international level is much more of interest to more people.

If religious ideas, scientific achievements, or explorations into the human psyche are revolutionized that will benefit the greater good of the community at large, then it is worthy of being circulated. Who deems this to be worthy is entirely subjective upon levels of government, professionals, and other so called authorities. What common man deems worthy of is usually juxtaposed and out of touch at times.

News is like art as reflections of society. By properly assessing and writing about the news, more people can be made aware what is happeningin the world. As a craftsman of the news to as Hemmingway put it, "Go write for the jugular."

News is whatever is being bought and sold as the currency of current.
News is created by decisions, events or tragedies.
News is unfortunately, corrupt and misconstrue too often.
At the best of times and belief, news is truth free of doubt of integrity
News is formulation of translation from writer to reader.
News is information exchanged within a group of people.
News is educational.
News is catalyst for change.
News is record gathering and documentation of a people.
News is relevant to our surroundings.
News is worthy of being repeated.
News is powerful.

To quote Einstein about the straight facts. "When striving for truth, leave eloquence to the tailor."


"Reporting—meaning the tradition by which a member of a distinct occupational category gets to cross the usual bounds of geography and class, to go where important things are happening, to ask powerful people blunt and impertinent questions, and to report back, reliably and in plain language, to a general audience—is a distinctive, fairly recent invention. It probably started in the United States, in the mid-nineteenth century, long after the Founders wrote the First Amendment. It has spread—and it continues to spread—around the world.It is a powerful social tool, because it provides citizens with an independent source of information about the state and other holders of power. It sounds obvious, but reporting requires reporters. They don’t have to be priests or gatekeepers or even paid professionals; they just have to go out and do the work."

AMATEUR HOUR
Journalism without journalists.
by NICHOLAS LEMANN