Into the depths of the

journalists mind
If you are curious on what is going on in the minds of journalists
when they are seeking and writing newsworthy events, the
following are what guides them in the practice and the process:
• Rules, routine,, institutionalized procedures, and
systems of classification in the production of
knowledge
•Factors that help them decide what is sufficiently
true and authoritative on what they are about to
report to the public.
 Into the depths of the journalists mind
As for your part, being an audience of news is not an easy
task. A single news report is not the absolute truth about a
certain event or story. Try comparing news stories from
different media platforms and different times and you will
observe some differences in the way they package the
event.

Why is this so?

Journalists are also employees of news organizations and
are thus affected by contending personal and institutional
factors. Writing a piece of news is not as easy either.
 Into the depths of the journalists mind
According to Ekstrõm (2002):
journalism is not in the business of merely coming up with
first-hand accounts of events. News organizations are
normally part of an established network of sources of news
information. There pieces of information are pooled so that
journalists may be able to access them (with or without a
fee) and to report them to their respective audiences.
 Into the depths of the journalists mind
There are also news and information which are merely
recycled or rehashed from other accounts. This is true when
news organizations rely on news wire services (or those
news gathering agencies that provide or supply news to
other news delivery organizations).

As previously mentioned, critical thinking is tied with

communication. Critical thinking is an important attribute of
an individual who is literate in media and information, and
especially of someone who wishes to engage in the
discipline of communication.
 Into the depths of the journalists mind
As communicators,
journalists must always invite discourse from their
audience. If these media practitioners fail to grap your
attention, you will not be forced to take a certain stand or
position regarding an issue. But once they get your
attention, they will aggressively (but covertly) condition you
to talk about issues and share your thoughts to other
people.
 Threats of
Journalism
Media and communication in the Philippines is highly
commercials/business-oriented. With that being the case,
some news content are trivialized and dumbeb-down to a
level that is almost simplistic and mundane. Notice how
news on primetime television feature stories that may be
tacitly considered to be irrelevant to some. You will find
stories that are outrightly absurd or trivial (like those
rumor-mongering showbiz stories) that undermine the
more serious plight of those in rural and far-flung areas of
the country).
 Threats of Journalism
News being featured in the Philippines is
excessively "Manila-centric," which presents concerns that
are generally not relatable to the larger percentage of the
populace. There are also instances wherein news becomes
so heavily fictionalized because of some news producers'
attempt to adapt other media formats, which, in the
process, compromises and convolutes the news story.
 Threats of Journalism
For example

young people like you may have a certain liking for a reality-
based format (where stories are treated like reality shows
in entertainment channels on television); thus, the news
may tend to adapt the idea to suit your taste. Cases like
these are not necessarily a bad practice, but if not done
with utmost care, this can decrease the value of the
information.
 Threats of Journalism
The information that journalists offer to the public will be
judged in importance and value based on its impact to the
citizens. As part of a democratic society, you will be able to
practice your rights and freedom more responsibly if you
are well-informed.
 Threats of Journalism
According to Ekstrõm (2002):
Journalism enjoys special status among institutions in
society... it largely controls mass media and, through them,
the public (media) discourse of different institutions —
including the public discourse of journalism itself... The
confidence capital of journalism is probably influenced by
both the official rhetoric about journalism, by events that
give rise to negative publicity, by stories about journalism in
a variety of contexts (debate columns, feature films,
textbooks) and by the character of ordinary journary
journalistic products consumed in everyday life.
THANK YOU!