Synthesis and Reflection

Synthesis and Reflection

Media Law

I wasn't very informed, prior to this course, about what media law exactly was. With this tidbit in mind, there were so many concepts about this topic that were new to me. However, the one that I found the most interesting was the Shield Law. I didn't know that there was a law out there that protected reporter's sources right to anonymity. I found this especially endearing, that journalists have the right to choose not to disclose who their source was, if revealing so would in turn result in danger to that person or others. This is a law that is very important for me to know, if I ever choose a career in journalism, and is also something every citizen should know as well. We have a right to choose to be anonymous if we want to tell our stories, and the government shouldn't be able to hinder that privilege.

Shield Law is an important part of our first amendment rights, and has also changed how I will think in my future if I chose to pursue reporting. Ways that it has altered my thinking is that it has allowed me to understand that I can keep my sources confidential in certain situations. Because of this newfound knowledge I will probably feel more comfortable with pursuing some stories where the source wants to stay anonymous, in my future. In addition, this law also illustrates to me when I should use a confidential source in my piece, and when it may not be such a good idea. I may want to get a particular story, but I also always want to make sure that my sources and information are a hundred percent credible and correct.

Fake News

Fake news was something that I never gave much thought to in the past, because I wasn't necessarily a person who kept themselves updated on current events. However, I was surprised to discover that I actually knew some of the concepts that we talked about. With this in mind, I also heard many points about fake news that I wasn't familiar with, and found interesting and valuable to my writing career. One of these concepts that was new to me was confirmation bias. I knew that we all had biases, but I wasn't aware that when we process new information, we usually do so with ways to support what we already believe, in mind. I found this interesting, and could definitely tell that it was true, even with me. I recognized that I tend to read more articles that support my opinion, and sometimes don't even give a second glance to the other side's point of view.

Confirmation bias is something that we all do, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. I believe that I will think about this topic differently as a journalist because when I'm reporting something, I want the article to not be biased but instead stay neutral. Because of this, I would try to get away from my confirmation bias, and try to remember that my opinion doesn't always matter and that my purpose is to get the news out there to the general populace. I firmly believe that by keeping this in mind, I will be able to be a better journalist, and report news that is open to anyone and everyone.