There is a common expression that goes, the only constant in life is change. This is definitely true when talking about the landscape of journalism. Throughout time there have been many problems facing journalists, whether it be the relationship with the government, or distrust from the public. Journalism's relationship with the government especially has been both good and bad at times.

 

Currently, there seems to be an ongoing war between President Trump and the media. Ever since the start of his campaign President Trump has accused the media of publishing what he calls, fake news. Now, this is something we really studied in both my media law and journalism ethics class. Looking at how what the President calls fake news is just news that he does not like or is critical of his presidency. This is a huge attack on journalists, a very dangerous time for disinformation.

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My first piece of evidence comes from my media law class, where I was really able to understand the conflict between the media and the President. I wrote my final paper on how it would be very dangerous to our democracy if President Trump and Supreme Court Justice Thomas lowered the barrier for what is considered libel, an idea they have both advocated for. This was really enlightening to me to research about because it showed me how on a daily basis journalists have to fight for their rights during this presidency. 

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My next piece of evidence comes from one of the unforeseen challenges facing local news outlets during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this piece, I talk about how due to the pandemic local news outlets are falling by the wayside. Due to great loss of advertisement revenue during the pandemic, local papers can not afford to pay their reporters. This one is really interesting because local outlets are trying to keep the people informed, but are falling victim to the very thing they are reporting. It also allowed me to see just how vital local news is to people that national outlets just can't cover.

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My final piece of evidence comes from my history of American broadcasting class. I wrote a paper on how censorship and how the FCC can be dangerous for both journalists, but also for the greater population. This is a very important topic and conflict for journalists and everyone in the country. It is highly debated and really falls along the same lines of trying to lower the barrier of libel laws, it is just another form of censorship. 

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In my four years, especially my last year, I have been able to truly understand the problems that many journalists are facing in today’s world. In addition to that, I have also learned the conflicts they have fought throughout history. Journalism will always have to fight conflict and those who try to take away the power held by journalists, but they will continue to be that independent monitor of power.