Starting at the American revolution and continuing to present day, journalism and significant historical events have been intertwined to the point that Rodger Streitmatter, author of “Mightier than the Sword”, refers to journalism as the “fourth estate”. Like all major institutions in history, the media has played an enormous role in shaping social conventions. That is not to say the the news media was always on the right side of history. While many news outlets took a progressive stands for African-American rights and reformed corruption in 1920s America with the Muckrakers, at times the news media prevented the success of progressive movements – as was the case with anti-semitic propaganda and slowing the Women’s Rights Movement. The news media was integral in the progression or standstill of progressive movements.
Yet, as we look to the history of journalism, it’s also important to look to the future – as Streitmatter does in the final chapter of his book. He leaves us with the uplifting idea that “journalism that’s substantive in content and strong in backbone ultimately will succeed, prosper, and serve a democratic people well.” However, with the decline of paper readership and the decline of public programming viewership in favor of online news sources, it seems that journalism may be a dying art. The Watergate Scandal was a showcase of exceptional investigative journalism and the principle of holding the government accountable to the people; ergo the diminished the role of the traditional media may perhaps be a factor in the rise of corruption and scandal – we are not feeding our watchdog, so how can we expect it to bark at the sign of trouble – and it is now more than ever that we need our fourth estate to keep our government democratic and accountable to the people.

Deciding to major in creative writing has come with many challenges. Too often people ask me why I’ve “done this to myself,” what on earth am I going to do with this degree, why did you just pick journalism… it’s the same thing isn’t it. As much as the introductory journalism class was integral in convincing me to transfer to the College of Media and give journalism a try, it is not remotely because it is the same as creative writing.

In the modern age, journalism has turned sensationalism. At times, especially with the rise of social media, journalism seems to focus on people who are famous merely for being famous, alternative facts, and reporting what could be news instead of what needs to be reported. Learning more about how history has interacted with journalism, in combination with the principles and values that journalism should ideally uphold, I have realized that journalism and the news media is indeed the fourth estate.

Journalism is an institution with as much prowess and power as the federal government, the catholic church, and a viral facebook video. Without journalism, it’s almost completely certain that the world would not be the way it is. My opinion on journalism? It is so necessary in a world that seems new on the brink of war due to constant feeds of unsubstantiated or “alternative” facts that influence the minds of the readers that people step up and write in a way that’s loyal to the values of journalism that, in a way, are as fundamental as the Constitution. My only hope is that one day I can have the privilege of doing that.

The controversy that Trump may have not paid taxes for nearly twenty years reemerged when the White House recently refused to release past tax returns as President Trump is still being audited by the IRS. This ongoing investigation took its first steps with investigative reporter, David Cay Johnston, and his attempts to warn the public about the potential fraud of the then-presidential-candidate.

Johnston took on the challenges that accompany investigative reporting, and investigating the financial records of a multi-millionaire: “ One, Trump’s outlandish style made him cheap and easy news; two, digging through old records and understanding them takes time and skill; and three, Trump threatened to sue everyone, including me, who mentioned his lifelong criminal ties.”

Despite the arduous task in front of him, Johnston managed to prove Trump’s corruption beyond a doubt in his book, “The Making of Donald Trump,” featuring “44 pages of source notes and my personal email address so any doubting readers could get in touch.”

Johnston has known Trump since long before his latest presidential endeavors, investigating him in 1988 as a mogul figure who stole casinos from the mafia. His long history with both Trump and investigative reporting has allowed Johnston to provide an effective, contextualized, and verified account of Trump’s corruption.

Ultimately, Johnston’s “The Making of Donald Trump” was a catalyst for the Trump’s tax leaks in mid-March of this year- what The Guardian calls “one small step for the truth.” Without Johnston’s investigative reporting and infallible loyalty to the people, even these small first steps wouldn’t have been taken; without more people like Johnston, more steps won’t be taken.

In the Mean-Girls-era of viral gossip and cyber-bullying, it is easy to get lost in the collective stream of consciousness of tweeting, posting, and commenting even if you are unsure of what you are saying is true or not. In the case of Jacquelyn Hammond, one offhand insult caused a $500,000 payout. Because the plaintiff of the complaint was able to prove that her official profile was one that would suffer from reputational damage—and especially because the comment was fault—Davyne Dial was able to sue Hammond for libel.
People have been so prone to hate speech lately that they forget that anything you say that is false about another person has the chance to be libel. John Boyle at The Citizen-Times shows us that anything we do at any time that offends someone can be illegal. Journalists especially need to worry about this law, but, as in Hammond’s case, even the average person can suffer the consequences of libel—in person or on social media.  

Donald Trump was recently implicated in a scandal regarding a painting, of himself nonetheless, that was purchased with Trump Foundation money.

Because it was bought by Trump under the guise of his charity, the painting should therefore not be displayed as a privately purchased artwork in one of Trump’s privately owned properties.

Enrique Acevedo, a newscaster for Univison, discovered through the unlikeliest of sources that Trump was not following these financial guidelines: TripAdvisor. An unwitting guest had accidentally outed Trump and his most recent tax crime to the world when they added a picture of it to a review.

Acevedo visited Trump’s National Doral in Miami to see firsthand what was circulating via Twitter about the TripAdvisor review, and there it was. Hanging on the wall of the bar, sans attribution to the Trump Foundation’s purchase of it, a blatant disregard for tax laws in the ironic form of a painting of Trump himself.

Acevedo confirmed this find by posting a picture of it to Twitter the next day. It seems as if the medium for Trump’s version of diplomacy may now be the force that circulates his latest crime.

I’d say it was too flowery of a metaphor if The Washington Post hadn’t reported it, with the iconic ending line: “The Trump campaign has still not responded to questions about the location of the painting.”

Though not nearly to the caliber of the latest near-nuclear attack on Afghanistan, Trump’s other latest legislative move, defunding Planned Parenthood, will still impact the American people in important ways. While Planned Parenthood offers a variety of services besides abortions and abortion consultation, the attack is driven primarily by pro-life people who want to ed access to abortions.

The San Francisco Chronicle offers a unique perspective on the battle between pro-life and pro-choice. Instead of arguing over the optional abortions, The San Francisco Chronicle’s latest opinion piece says the real focus should be Environmental Protection Acts. “ If you want more terminated pregnancies, allow your representatives to get rid of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act and end liabilities on companies making polluting products.”

Trump’s proposed budget plan detailed a complete slash of funding for environmental services, to very little public opposition. People may have bigger issues to deal with (e.g. the impending World War III) but they should take a minute and prioritize. What use is a pro-life win if the planet we live on is going to decay, and take not only us, but our unborn fetuses with it.     

Andy Warhol once said “in the future everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes.” In the age of social media that is more relevant than ever before. This is a time where people can use their viral popularity to make a career—as seen by the recent rise of Danielle Bregoli, better known as the ‘Cash Me Outside’ Girl, and her effort to create a brand and merchandise.

This is by no means a newfound phenomenon. Way back when in 2007, when memes were just becoming popular on ‘antiquated’ social media sites like Facebook, a boy named Sammy Griner became virally famous for a baby picture of him clenching his fist—nicknamed ‘The Success Kid’. He went on to use his fame to raise over 100,000 dollars for his father’s life saving medical expenses last December, as reported by the Daily Mail.

The latest example of this viral fame seems to be an example of novelty at its best. Just two days ago, Jacob Staudenmaier (@upsettrout) posted a parody of the opening scene of La La Land to his twitter in the hopes that it would convince Emma Stone to go to prom with him. CNN reports that they have reached out to Emma Stone for her answer. Though it is a far cry from the altruistic crowdfunding of Griner, Staudenmaier is another example of how social media can make your wildest dreams come true. . . at least we hope for Staudenmaier’s sake it does.

NBC, like most established, credible news sources, defines news predominantly by embodying the new value of impact. The newscast of March 29^th discussed topics that ranged from political controversy to weather related threats to medical advancements; the underlying universal motif being the level of importance and imminent impact on viewers. However, despite being the defining factor of these stories, the newscast demonstrated several other news values. Often conflict was also a theme, in regards to the controversy of Russia’s involvement with the government, the physical conflict between nature and person in the tornadoes in Texas, and the battle against the opioid epidemic. Prominence, too, played a role in the type of stories presented— in the cases of the president’s current trials and tribulations, Over the Rainbow’s induction to the Songwriter Hall of Fame, and Jackie Kennedy’s secret letters. Even the stories that appeared as though they are nothing more than oddities or human interests— stories about arbitrary traffic accidents or crimes— called attention beyond the subjects of the stories to more serious, impactful issues, such as gun control. The “news” of NBC, despite how the stories appear disconnected at first, is ultimately united by the its urgency— how important it is for the public to know the information at hand.

Oftentimes I feel strange writing about myself, the same way one usually feels bragging about their accomplishments at a job interview when all their lives they’ve been taught humility.

Last semester, my poetry professor asked for a moniker he could use to help remember my name and for some reason I thought the best possible answer was “edgy teen.” I suppose the first step to overcoming a problem is admitting you have it. . . Right?

I have a tendency to get bitterly sarcastic when writing about myself, probably because I tend to treat my own life as if it were some ironic comedy, more likely because I don’t take myself nearly seriously enough to properly chat about who I am as a person.

I am a freshman. I am a Creative Writing major seeking a dual degree in Journalism and a minor in film studies – so I guess that means in my free time I like to bite off more than I can chew.

I also have a tendency to trademark words and phrases as if I own the copyright to them. It’s probably part of the whole “edgy teen” thing. . . I need help. I also am an emdash and parentheses aficionado but I promise to try and keep those out of any kind of professional journalist work.

I’m currently writing this from the safety of my bed back at the suburbs because I decided to start spring break early. The first thing I did when I walked through the door? Cried on the floor over my dog. The second? Make myself an actual salad with fresh produce –  can’t find quality like that in the dorms. (I went through this cool phase of vegetarianism that lasted about four years, but, heck, is it tough to try and eat healthy on a college meal plan.)

I feel like at some point in here I should upload a picture but the whole edgy-teen-living-an-ironic-life thing makes me think that any photo I could find wouldn’t be very appropriate for my viewership. I can however upload a photo of my dog. Hopefully that will redeem me.

I think on this note I’ll probably leave my many viewers with that, before I fall into my bad habit of oversharing on the internet.