Being a journalist is a profession full of dreams and desires, and since the beginning of the process to become one, one has to face the contrast between the academy and the real environment. This is due to the fact that journalism can be an advantage and a disadvantage also. That is, that everybody can look at the work that a reporter does, because this is the real meaning of journalism, to work for the community and for the public cause. Being a journalist is not what it turns out to be when it comes to the real world. This is all due to money, ethic and different ideals. This becomes a dilemma when the capitalist world is in front of one’s face and the differences are as clear as black and white.
To become a professional is the main goal for those who begin a career, and if it is a journalism student, this professional status must be combined with passion and a big concept about the social importance, and the real manner to do journalism. To have this is very important. That is to have a notion about what is the truth. To tell or not to tell the truth has always been the main and most complicated dilemma for the people who work in this area. Journalism schools try to set some ethical bases for students and, since the beginning; validity and legitimacy in the job are the rules for the up and coming journalists.
Lecturers and tutors are trying to prepare one for a future that may not exist, because the academy must be idealistic, and this is normal because you have to be prepared to be the best and to change the things that are not working in the professional atmosphere, but certainly the world has things that can hardly be changed. Then comes the real world. The truth, which was the most important idea and the rule to follow, becomes ambiguous. Economic powers are the first interested in your work; how you do it and what you say is your first regulation if you do not want to lose your job, because political and economic interests are after your work. You are supposed to be telling the truth to the entire society, but that truth is full of uncertain and confusing contents, as the society is, so, you have to work to translate those concepts in clear theories. Processing and transmission of the information is not the principle of journalism, but interpretation of it. Being a journalist, one should examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others. Most importantly avoiding stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual, orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status. In other words, they are supposed to have an open mind to support open exchanges of views, to give voice to the voiceless.
Then we have constraints from owners, advertisers, government and the law. Ministers will often put pressure on public service journalists to report things which are favourable to the government (even when they are not newsworthy) and not to report things which are unfavourable to the government. They can enforce public service discipline, to make journalists do as the government wants. This is especially difficult to resist in small developing countries, where there may be little or no alternative employment. In Malaysia for example, the press companies are mostly govern by non-profit company such as Media Prima and this Media Prima is going under politic parties. The press under this corporate will be more on pro-government, journalist will report more news on the party and government but not the opposite side. In this scene, journalists are more responsible on the ownership. (The News Manual, 2010)
In our opinion, we believe that journalists should be free from their constraints but not free from the law. This is because nobody is free from the law; law binds us all together and makes sure we do the right thing. Journalists should strictly hold a code lists specifics canons for journalists. They should seek truth and report it. Make sure the sources of the information are reliable to ensure the accuracy of the information. Besides that, it is important for a journalist to act independently, not involved in any association or activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility in order to avoid conflicts of interest. Journalists should not hide the truth just because it is against to the company benefit. However, they have to be sensitive when reporting.
In short, the ones that control the chain around journalism should be more flexible. By restraining the truth is already not being objective and fair. And if the system does not change in the future, it will lead to a spiralling effect that may lead to a decline of political, economical and social power in our country.
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