Wars, the Press and the Public

 

Wars, the Press and the Public

The Fourth Estate

When thinking of the "Fourth Estate" as a label for journalism, the relationship between journalism and government comes into question. Journalists sit and speak with members of the government and cover press conferences given by government officials and then use that information to inform the American public. There should be a healthy and open relationship between the government and the journalists or the press. this is because having transparency with journalists and the companies they work for equates to being transparent with the American people whom the government wants to gain trust from.

Watchdog Journalism in Wartime

Watchdog journalism is a form of investigative journalism where journalists of a news publication interview public figures and politicians while also fact-checking to increase accountability. Journalists use watchdog journalism in wartime to be objective and to peel back the blinding veil between the soldiers of the war and the American people. Similar to the current issues between Ukraine and Russia. It s important for journalists to investigate themselves to find the truth behind the war rather than relying on the words of high-paying political figures.

Support For the War

                                

Throughout all of the wars America has seen, media outlets as well as the government seem to have the task of getting civilian support for the war. this is because getting people to support the war also gets people to support American troops and increases the chances of them going the extra mile of donating to charities that help the men on the ground get care packages and letters of support. during WWI the way that many people supported the war was by buying war bonds and saving stamps. this way, they were lending money to the government which would later be paid back to them with interest after the war was over.

The Business of News

News as a business has a large effect on journalists and what we do when it comes to whether or not we report on things and if we do report on them it impacts HOW we decide to do that. The business of News impacted Journalists' outlook on war because if they painted a negative picture of the U.S. they would be scrutinized for it but if they negatively depict the enemy they can be celebrated. During wartime, how journalists report and what they decide to uncover and share with the public are the ultimate tests of morals over monetization.

                                  

Reese Erlich, while being one of the most important reporters of his generation, is someone I never heard of prior to doing research for this post in particular. I believe we've never heard of him, nor his book, because he was blacklisted by the government. When a reporter exposes the government or things the government was trying to keep a secret, especially about war times and where taxpayer dollars are going, the government officials who would be blamed do what they can to silence that reporter which I believe is the case with Reese Erlich.

The Civilian Live Reporting Era

With the rise of social media and everyone's ability to pull out their phone and film or go live at any time to expose something, I would call this new era the Civilian Journalistic Era. At this point in time, ANYONE can be a reporter from anywhere with just the click of a button or the tap of a screen. This is what will open doors and many eyes in the U.S., making it difficult for the higher-ups in government or law enforcement to hide anything from the American people.