Journalism is the creation and dissemination of news reports based on verified facts and evidence, most often based on first-hand experience, about current events. The word journalism usually refers to both the profession, and individual citizen-journalists who collect and publish information about current events and researched information based on evidence and facts. The profession of journalism includes not only reporters and correspondents, but also freelance journalist, bloggers, web designers, copywriters and any other media professionals who assist in providing information to the public. The field of Journalism covers a wide range of areas including sports, culture, and travel, but has recently experienced a boom in reporting and publishing.
Today there are hundreds of newspapers and magazines in existence, and the Internet provides many resources for people to read and get up to date with news that is published by major newspapers and magazines. A number of new journalism organizations have developed to meet the increasing need for media independent from conventional media. Journalists are increasingly covering controversial topics such as immigration, national security, crime, and health. Many of these newspapers and magazines are highly dependent on freelance writers, many of whom come from under-served communities that cannot get traditional newspapers and are unable to afford the overhead costs. This reliance on outside contributors allows the newspaper and magazine to provide investigative and even investigative reporting.
There are some basic principles of good professional conduct that must be applied in all fields of journalism. First, all journalists must abide by the general standards of ethical behavior and confidentiality. Second, they must take care to report only truthfully and accurately and never plagiarize. Third, they must exercise due diligence when investigating people and organizations they are investigating. Finally, in order to effectively participate in the democratic process, journalists must operate within the confines of the law and must not undertake actions that could potentially damage their credibility or the objectivity of the fourth estate.
