RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM 2
Journalism can never be silent
The famous quote by Henry Anatole Grunwald who said that "Journalism can never be
silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault ", reveals that there are ups and down in
achieving responsible journalism. To better understand this statement, it is important to expound
on the virtues and faults of journalism.
First, media is tasked with the responsibility of presenting factual information to the
public. Every journalist must verify the authenticity of the sources of information and be able to
report the information however damaging or emotional upsetting it can be. According to Ginosar
& Cohen (2017), there is need for journalists to be firm in their reporting to avoid ambiguity and
loss of trust from the public. Therefore, I agree that journalism should not be silent to the extent
that they report factual news in an accurate manner. This is not only their greatest virtue but also
their solemn duty to the public. However, there have been instances where media have not been
honest in their reporting by keeping critical information from the public. Even though the silence
in media has been blamed on the draconian regulatory policies from government, fear and lack of
responsible journalism etiquette has also been seen. For instance, major media houses in USA
did not invest enough resources in investigating the 9/11 terrorist attack that left the largest
casualty in American history. Through its silence, the public started to doubt the media and thus
its silence became its greatest undoing.
In a nutshell, journalism is a critical player in what goes on around the globe.
Responsible reporting in a factual manner is encouraged because it help to bring accountability
in governance as well as to keep the public informed. Therefore, I totally agree that "Journalism
can never be silent”.
