Journalism as an Idealogue #6

 An idealogue---- Wavy red lines have appeared underneath the word, which leads me to believe that it is to be defined via the dictionary of experience. In the classroom discussion, the concern was voiced that journalists sometimes become too involved in their stories. Instead of being advocates for the people and public well-being, they take on the role of an activist. The point was made that the specific cause does not really matter: whether for recycling, Hurricane Katrina victims, or the Democratic party, journalists must be wary of activism's lure. For this last point, someone brought up an article by Orson Scott Card, a registered Democrat who scolds the press for their Democratic leanings in reporting the financial crisis and the presidential election. http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2008-10-05-1.html Card mentions investigative reporting. He specifically mentions journalists who, as idealogues, choose to pursue certain stories, allowing leads that do not help their "case" to slumber undisturbed. That, we learn, is the primary danger of advocacy in journalism. Unverifiable facts and "spin" happen, to be sure, but most editing is completed long before such issues come up. Journalists can sway public opinion by their choice of story.
  The issue of editing through story selection becomes particularly concerning in light of the Agenda Setting Theory of mass communications. One of the most modern (and I suppose "most correct" follows) theories of mass communications, its basic idea is that the media controls what people think/talk about. Consider: you can't even disagree with an article if you don't know about it. For more information on this theory, see http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Mass%20Media/Agenda-Setting_Theory.doc/.
  As a prospective journalist, one question remains for me. Can the profession of journalism coexist with an active, involved citizen? For many people, the draw to this profession lies in its power to affect positive change. Page 69 of this book gives an account of a journalist who withdrew from civic life in an effort to maintain his objective perspective. See Mind of a Journalist . This begs the question: is he just giving us the perspective of an uninvolved individual? Is that sacrifice required of a practitioner of the "best" profession?