NewsTrust Essay

In today’s society, there is a common misconception that as long as the internet continues to flourish, as can be seen with the recent Wiki leaks controversy, the role and need for newspapers, as well as its journalists, will one day cease to exist. However, in utilizing websites such as NewsTrust.net, this notion may change for those who aren’t as open to the idea as others.
NewsTrust.net, which serves as a social networking site and an educational tool to train readers to recognize quality journalism, offers to help readers “Think Like A Journalist,” a formidable task as millions of news-related posts, blogs and sites are created each day. Nonetheless, the website has continued to serve as a textbook example for aspiring and current journalists who are actively reporting in the field.
The website raises several questions in initiating the thought process of a journalist which allows him or her to effectively perform his or her responsibilities. What is the difference between skepticism and pessimism? Does the public have a right to know the news that affects or afflicts them? When I see a “hole” in a story missing viewpoints or sources how can I fill it with facts using online resources? And lastly what are the rights in the Bill of Rights (http://newstrust.net/guides)?
The four D’s of thinking like a journalist exemplify the qualities of good journalism. They are: doubt, detect, discern and demand. (http://newstrust.net/guides). These qualities can be applied when conducting a review for any of the selected articles NewsTrust has to offer, as can be seen with one of my many previously reviewed articles. Doubt is a healthy skepticism that questions everything. Detect is defined as a “nose for news” and relentless pursuit of the truth. Discern is a priority for fairness, balance and objectivity in reporting, and demand is considered a focus on free access to information and freedom of speech (http://newstrust.net/guides).
For example the article entitled, “Justice Department says’ don’t ask, don’t tell ruling will harm troops,” discusses how the Justice Department requested a federal judge to set aside her decision stopping the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gays and lesbians in the military until it can appeal the ruling, saying the decision would “irreparably” harm our military and the national security of the United States. In evaluating an article such as this, I would decipher whether the articles possessed all of the qualities required for a professional journalist. Was the article factual? Was it fair? Was it well-sourced? Did it show context? Was the story in-depth? Enterprising? Relevant? And well-written? All of these questions serve as a guideline for journalists to consider when writing a quality news story.
The next step is the reviews of the review sort of speak. By reviewing the news at NewsTrust, you’ll begin to think like a journalist. You’ll distinguish news from opinion, become familiar with journalism principles and ethics, as well as sharpen your critical judgment. In doing such, your comments will also be reviewed by members who are affiliated with the website. However, depending on the content of the article, the reviewers may or may not always agree with your point of view.
As tedious and redundant as the evaluation process may have been, my overall experience with Newstrust was very enlightening. The process works for aspiring journalists like me, who are skeptical about a diminishing profession such as journalism. Nonetheless, the website has continued to serve as a helpful resource for aspiring and current journalists who are learning to actively report.


http://www.newstrust.net/members/justin-curry