Journalism is a noble, and sometimes dangerous, profession

Recently, journalists were given a day to appreciate freedom of expression. We look back at all of the sacrifices made by journalists to attain this freedom.

World Press Freedom Day took place on May 3. It was created and sponsored by the United Nations. Many countries around the world do not have freedom of speech or freedom of the press. Some publications have been terrorized or shut down by radical groups or a communist government. 

On Jan. 7, two brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, forced their way into the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. They were armed with assault rifles and killed 11 people and injured 11 others in the building. They claimed to be members of an Islamist terrorist group. They were outraged by a series of satirical cartoons of Muhammad and prompted them to commit the heinous acts. 

ISIS is responsible for beheading two American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff on video and bragged about this feat. 

The news world has come a long way through the years in technology and diversifying the newsrooms. Yet, there are still some challenges that we must overtake. 

There has been a rise in the number of women working in the newsroom. Some newsrooms, like the Jackson County Herald-Tribune, are dominated by women. I am proud to say women have made their mark in the journalism world. However, some people have not learned to accept that and still believe journalism is a man’s job. Some women reporters are not given as much respect as a male reporter. 

Some are ridiculed, manipulated or humiliated. According to an article that was published in The Economist on Feb. 6, 2014, these are the dark days for female journalists. Amanda Hess presented figures showing that most female journalists have been harshly treated at work, but few speak up about it. The article also states there is little evidence to support the view that some female journalists have experienced pervasive sexual harassment and violence in the work place. In the article, 46 percent of women who filled out a form said they had experienced sexual harassment in the course of their work.

American journalist Lara Logan was beaten and sexually assaulted by a gang in 2011 after Egyptians overthrew their dictator. A couple of years later, a Dutch journalist was gang raped in the Tahrir Square in June of 2013. 

I believe some day all women will earn the respect they have been aiming for through the years in the newsroom. 

So some journalists have been killed, terrorized and assaulted. Now they are just trying to keep their jobs. A number of publications have been shut down or only appear online. Editorial staffs are growing smaller by the numbers each year. Publications are facing budget cuts. 

Some news outlets give journalists a bad reputation. Like politicians, some journalists know who their followers are and will feed them just about anything they want to hear. Don’t always believe what journalists say or write because their is a spin for every story. Some things are just better if you check it out yourself. Sensationalism is still alive and well in the news, but I can assure you there are still trustworthy and reliable journalists out there who believe in being fair and balanced. 

It shocked many individuals that respected anchor and managing editor of the NBC Nightly News Brian Williams possibly embellished or fabricated 11 of his stories. With individuals like that, it makes it harder for us to gain the trust of our readers. We have to be super careful when writing our stories.

Most journalists that are still writing for publications in print still believe in the sole purpose of being a journalist– to inform and educate. They don’t mislead their readers and provide nothing but the facts. 

With all that said, journalists have had to step up on a number of occasions and fight for their rights and their freedom of speech through the years. 

Journalists give yourself a pat on the back and give a toast for all of your efforts, sleepless nights and endless amount of caffeine. Here’s to you!