Sunday, May 07, 2006
The Pressure in Journalism
Story by Allison Bloch
I have been going to SF State for almost four years. Now that I’m almost out in the real world, I’m itching to get out of college- yet I’m reflective on what I have learned in my few years here. I have taken several classes, from my mandatory major courses to creative writing to science classes, and each one has taught me something. Though the classes that hold the most importance for me are, of course, my mandatory major courses.
As a journalism student, we take classes range from reporting to publication classes to the history of journalism itself. Recently, with the Balco case, journalism has come under attack. And more so then ever, those lessons I have learned in one of my classes have been altered.
The Chronicle ran an article on May 7th about how lawyers are now going after reporters to reveal their sources, THE BALCO CASE- More pressure on reporters to name sources. In the article it began with a little history, and something that I didn’t really realized could happen- “since at least 1972..federal prosecutors have the power to force reporters to disclose their confidential sources or go to jail.” And before the release of this article, on May 5th, the Chronicle and two of its reporters were subpoenaed to testify about the leaked grand-jury testimony used in articles that had linked Barry Bonds and other athletics to the use of steroids.
So here I am, about to embark into the “scary” world of journalism and everything I have learned, been preparing for, is beginning to change. Journalism has clearly been under attack for a few years now due to numerous reasons. From plagiarism, to reporters making up stories, journalism isn’t what it used to be. It once was this creditable source of knowledge and information that people could turn to and get information that they normally couldn’t get on their own. But now, that seems to have change.
Over the past few years it has been an uphill battle for us journalists. When I tell people I am a journalism major I get one of two reactions- 1. Wow, that is admirable or 2. What are you thinking? Regardless of the competition and the low-income journalists get, there is little creditable for journalists just because of a few bad eggs.
Take this for a real life example. Working for the State online and newspaper publications, I have experienced a lot of mixed reactions. Recently, I went around campus to get reactions about the May Day walkouts and rallies. Several of the students whom I asked for interviews had no clue State even had a paper. This is constantly the battle State journalists find themselves in- being caught between people who have no clue that our paper/publications exist and people who think we make stuff up.
Perhaps classes should be taught now on the scary realities that the real journalism world holds for us students. State gives its journalism students classes to practice reporting and writing, even editing and design, so why not this proposed “scary realities” class? And now, more so then ever, we need the knowledge so we either don’t make bad decisions (like give false facts) or know what to do when a judge orders us to give out our confidential sources.
I have been going to SF State for almost four years. Now that I’m almost out in the real world, I’m itching to get out of college- yet I’m reflective on what I have learned in my few years here. I have taken several classes, from my mandatory major courses to creative writing to science classes, and each one has taught me something. Though the classes that hold the most importance for me are, of course, my mandatory major courses.
As a journalism student, we take classes range from reporting to publication classes to the history of journalism itself. Recently, with the Balco case, journalism has come under attack. And more so then ever, those lessons I have learned in one of my classes have been altered.
The Chronicle ran an article on May 7th about how lawyers are now going after reporters to reveal their sources, THE BALCO CASE- More pressure on reporters to name sources. In the article it began with a little history, and something that I didn’t really realized could happen- “since at least 1972..federal prosecutors have the power to force reporters to disclose their confidential sources or go to jail.” And before the release of this article, on May 5th, the Chronicle and two of its reporters were subpoenaed to testify about the leaked grand-jury testimony used in articles that had linked Barry Bonds and other athletics to the use of steroids.
So here I am, about to embark into the “scary” world of journalism and everything I have learned, been preparing for, is beginning to change. Journalism has clearly been under attack for a few years now due to numerous reasons. From plagiarism, to reporters making up stories, journalism isn’t what it used to be. It once was this creditable source of knowledge and information that people could turn to and get information that they normally couldn’t get on their own. But now, that seems to have change.
Over the past few years it has been an uphill battle for us journalists. When I tell people I am a journalism major I get one of two reactions- 1. Wow, that is admirable or 2. What are you thinking? Regardless of the competition and the low-income journalists get, there is little creditable for journalists just because of a few bad eggs.
Take this for a real life example. Working for the State online and newspaper publications, I have experienced a lot of mixed reactions. Recently, I went around campus to get reactions about the May Day walkouts and rallies. Several of the students whom I asked for interviews had no clue State even had a paper. This is constantly the battle State journalists find themselves in- being caught between people who have no clue that our paper/publications exist and people who think we make stuff up.
Perhaps classes should be taught now on the scary realities that the real journalism world holds for us students. State gives its journalism students classes to practice reporting and writing, even editing and design, so why not this proposed “scary realities” class? And now, more so then ever, we need the knowledge so we either don’t make bad decisions (like give false facts) or know what to do when a judge orders us to give out our confidential sources.
