Newsgathering

One can conceive of a system in which journalists are “independent” in that they can print what they wish, but are severely hampered because they have constricted access to information. Of course, all journalists are hampered. They have deadlines that prevent as much investigation as they desire. They have budgetary constraints. They have editors who limit their travel or the direction of their journalistic inquiry.

But still, it is possible to examine the nature of a state’s enabling environment specifically in terms of the capacity of the journalist to gather information and be effective. Information gathering by journalists is a vital component of freedom of information. Without access to information, journalists are engaged primarily in the presentation of opinions. And while openness in the statement of opinions is an important element of democratic society, it is not sufficient for its development and maintenance. The possibility for an informed citizenry depends on the ability of journalists to have access to sources. Without this kind of journalistic effectiveness, a society can have free and independent media, but their utility toward advancement of democratic institution-building might be severely limited. In addition, a state’s determination to license the practice of journalism will also have implications for the news media’s role in a democratic society.

There are obvious elements of a state’s enabling environment in access to information. Some states use the power to accredit journalists restrictively, ensuring that few have access, for example, to the press briefings of the government or to the processes of the legislature. Many countries close important public institutions, such as prisons, military facilities, and, increasingly, even in the most democratic societies certain judicial trials to the public and to the press. These restrictions can be justified with concerns of national security, privacy, or the integrity of the policy-making process. Whatever the justification, the closest examination of these restrictions is necessary.

The enabling environment also includes access to the world’s databases. A state can limit this form of access by imposing a tariff structure, constraining Internet service providers, or creating the fear that there is state monitoring of what database a journalist seeks to use. The extent to which public libraries are maintained and updated is also a mode of affecting the capacity of a journalist to gather news.

Certainly, the policy of the government toward journalistic access to information, which may be a matter of informal access and informal policy rather than law, is key to the functioning of a press. But one of the most important areas for access to information is a state’s attitude towards its records, its documents, its proceedings, and its institutions. Rules concerning access to documents and institutions are examples of the positive use of law to promote media independence and effectiveness.

Tasks:

1. Complete the utterance and develop the idea adding a few more aspects to be considered:

- To hold their audience, newspapers…

- The 20th century has seen a renewal…

- They have deadlines that…

- Information gathering by journalists is…

- The possibility for an informed citizenry depends…

- These restrictions can be justified with…

- Certainly, the policy of the government toward journalistic access to information…

2. Single out the most important sentences from the text, discuss the main issues of the texts.

3. Make up 15 sentences for paraphrasing with the active vocabulary.

TEXT 4

1. Read TEXT 4 and TEXT 5 to note the peculiarities of the newspaper language.

2. Choose two articles (British or American and Russian newspapers) and analyse in detail their language. Compare the English and Russian variants.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14