When faced with this question my mind is swept away into stories of "breaking news" captions of newspapers I've read, television broadcasts I've watched, and radio stations I've heard. To me, journalism is the press. As defined by Dictionary.com, the press is the "printed publications collectively." Journalists are those who write for the press. I understand that some are of the opinion that anyone can be a journalist, especially these days when creating a blog is only a few clicks away. I would have to agree with that opinion, but I must emphasize the word can. If an individual publishes news through their blog or other means, I would consider them a journalist. To be considered news, the information published needs to be pertinent to a large number of people. It would be hard for me to define my opinion of how big that group needs to be. If I were to delve deeper into defining more words I do believe I would lose the reader. When I read about the purpose of journalism from "The Elements of Journalism" by Bill Kovach & Tom Rosenstiel I find that it is intended to "provide cititizens with the information they need to be free and self-governing." That does not seem like the easiest task to do. This is precisely why anyone has the capability of being a journalist, but most of us are not.
Considering today is September 11, my mind is already turned towards the news and journalism. I still remember where I was when I heard "the news" of the airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center. I'm sure everyone does. Like the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, 9/11 will forever be "a date which will live in infamy." My heart goes out to all Americans who were directly affected by this tragic act. I am not talking to those Americans who are disgruntled by the fact that they no longer can get through the security lines as fast at the airports. I am talking to those people who lost their husbands, wives, mothers and fathers, kids and grandkids. To them I give my deepest condolences. For them I will continue to pray every year on this day.
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