Are journalists still engaged in a world of ease and convenience?

Whether journalism is for money or for ideals is still a controversial topic even among those in the profession. But after more than 20 years of journalism, I still find that journalism is definitely for ideals. If it were for money, no one would choose journalism, because in this profession, the more skilled you are, the harder it is to get rich!

To record each story, journalists need commitment. Photo: XH

Kind and poor

In the current press environment, those in the profession can observe each other to see that, doing the job properly, "selling words" to make a living is only enough to cover daily expenses.

The more skilled a person is, the more passionate he is about writing, the more he struggles with elaborate and difficult genres like investigative reporting and memoirs, the harder it is to get rich, because it takes a lot of time and effort and the royalties cannot match it.

But they are still happy with what they do, because those who have committed themselves to the difficult genre of journalism do not aim for money. These real journalists, on June 21st every year, think back on their earth-shattering journalism achievements, and silently smile, because they have lived to the fullest the joy of the profession without needing to be honored or recognized.

Nowadays, social networks are booming, with just one click, information can spread around the world . Journalism seems easier, but in fact, it has never faced so many pressures and challenges.

When anyone can become a reporter, but not everyone has the courage to become a gatekeeper of truth, "real" journalists need to promote their role.

Because more than reporting news, journalists shape the way society sees reality. Each line, each film, each sentence they say can help people understand the true nature of things.

Good journalists also know how to help people receive information and understand it in a humane way. They do not tell stories just for others to read, but for society to look back at itself.

In a world cluttered with “fake news”, “bought news”, or “news to please”, the value of a true journalist lies in the fact that they dare to speak the truth, even when it puts them under pressure, makes them doubtful or lonely in a crowd.

They go, they see, they record, not to seek glory, but to protect the public from manipulation and forgetting what needs to be paid attention to. Reflecting on the current journalism profession, it can be seen that true journalists do not choose journalism because it is easy, they choose it because they see it as the right thing to do.

Thus, dedication is the basic factor to create a truly good journalist. If the journalistic life takes place in the way that journalists often call "salon journalism", that is, only attending press conferences in air-conditioned rooms, attending lavish, luxurious parties, reporting simple news excerpted from press releases, then perhaps, it cannot be called a journalist.

Choose a commitment

But reality also shows that nowadays, the number of journalists who brave the sun and rain, go deep into the field to conduct elaborate investigations is decreasing. Journalists, partly because of technology support, partly because they are not used to hardship, have chosen a gentle, clean way. The resonance of those things makes readers less likely to enjoy valuable articles. Engaging in modern journalism is truly a question of the present.

Regardless of the period, journalism always requires dedication. In the photo: war journalist Phan Xuan Quang is recording the moment when artists from Zone 5 revisit the Quang Da battlefield. Photo: XH

And so, the most beautiful thing about this profession is that amidst the whirlwind of information, comfort and convenience, there are still journalists who quietly maintain their principles, persevere with the truth, and remain steadfast in their professional conscience, dedicating themselves to the profession to the very end.

It is this dedication that gives true journalists the opportunity to reach out to those at the bottom and become a bridge to bring them to the light.

We still feel proud of journalists who take people who have never had identification to the police station to support them; journalists who rescue victims in large kidnapping rings in Cambodia; journalists who support the wrongly accused in seeking justice, working tirelessly for decades.

Admire these journalists, to see that no other profession brings people closer to the pain and desire to be heard of disadvantaged lives like journalism. And sometimes, just one article, one report, they can change the fate of a person, save a child from being forgotten, help a family have a roof over their heads, or awaken an entire community.

In addition to "having a hard time and being poor", many of my colleagues and I feel happy to realize that journalists are very lucky because the nature of their profession helps them to continuously learn and interact with very talented people in society.

Not many professions give access to leaders, great scientists , artists, business leaders, inspirational people, ordinary but extraordinary people like journalism. Perhaps, that is the greatest gift that journalists receive.

And this makes journalists constantly expand their thinking, accumulate life experiences, and renew their own perceptions. They become people who connect knowledge, share values, and contribute to raising social awareness.

And, journalists are not rich in money, but rich in knowledge, ideals, experiences and have a heart of compassion.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/nha-bao-con-dan-than-trong-the-gioi-de-dang-va-tien-nghi-3157077.html