"Take A Stand"

Brent Cunningham posts an intriguing article, "Take a Stand" on Columbia Journalism Review, which explores the concept of the evolving journalist's role in the 21st century. Cunningham states that journalist need to not limit their writing to "breaking" news media, but return to the roots of "investigative" journalism.

Cunningham quotes Jack Newfield from the memoir:Somebody’s Gotta Tell It:

"Pick an issue. Study it. Make yourself an expert so you won’t make any stupid factual mistakes. Figure out who the decision makers you want to influence are. Name the guilty men. Make alliances with experts. Combine activism with the writing. Create a constituency for reform. And don’t stop till you have achieved some progress or positive results."

The article further supports the notion of the journalist taking a step further into the realm of journalism; report breaking news, but also explore what is important. Don't tell society what to think, but supply society with information to MAKE them think. Stir up passion in issues that are still unresolved:

"The mythology of the nation—exceptional, above the taint of history—has been undercut by a terror attack, two botched wars, the reality of torture, a flooded city, a wounded economy, staggering inequality, a shameful health-care system . . . the list is long. It has been undercut, too, by the emerging realities of the twenty-first century: a multipolar world, transglobal problems that no amount of debt-funded escapism can keep at bay, a realization that America must lead, but cannot dictate."

Journalists hide behind the facade of retaining objectivity and reporting in a non-offensive tone, yet why does this excuse important issues to simply go ignored? It is not a luxury to pick and choose what you want to write as a journalist, IT IS YOUR DUTY TO REPORT IMPORTANT ISSUES, EVENTS, OCCURRENCES THAT ARE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY.

It is time to step out and shine, time to uncover to the veil of selective journalism, TIME TO TAKE A STAND.