2 A questioning profession

Journalism is a simple profession. It is all about asking questions. The questions – of people, about events – provide the facts, and it is the facts that make the news. Without the facts, there is no news. So the profession of journalists is focused, in the end, on knowing the right question to ask; being able to ask it in the most knowledgeable and open way, and then being able to communicate it in the most interesting, creative and forceful manner. In order to ask that question the profession requires much knowledge and ability, and it is asking the question despite pressures not to, that protects freedom. Journalism is the ultimate expression of democracy and freedom. Governments and politicians realize this ...

Get Journalism in the Digital Age now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.