The Journalist as an Ideologue

What is an ideologue, you ask? According to dictionary.com, it is "a person who zealously advocates an ideology." It is a person and the beliefs and values that lead their life. So how does this relate to journalism?

Let me ask you a question: can a journalist be completely objective?

I do not believe so. Each journalist is going to have their own set of beliefs and values that they follow, and it is going to come out in their writing whether they mean for it to or not. That doesn't mean their writing is going to come out biased. It just means that it is going to come out different than it would if you or I wrote it, because each person has a unique view of the world.

So when it comes to choosing a story, there are 8 values that journalists go by to determine if it is actually newsworthy. They are:

1) Altruistic Democracy
This is when the leaders of the nation pose a threat to the idea of being liaisons for the people. Citizens like to know when their leaders are acting out and what state their nation is in. One example of this would be the Watergate Scandal.

2) Responsible Capitalism
This is a capitalism in which the whole of the country becomes better. The public likes to hear about positive changes made to their country.

3) Order
Crime would fall under this category. This is because it is a threat to the order of our society. When something out of the ordinary happens, the public is going to be intrigued and want to hear about it, especially when it concerns their safety.

4) Moderation
Since most Americans consider themselves moderate thinkers, extremist thinking tends to be covered more because it is different than what most people are used to.

5) Leadership
Poor leaders and great leaders will be featured more prominently because leadership is a basic value in American culture. Citizens like to know who is leading their country and what decisions they are making.

6) Small-Town Pastoralism
Even though they center around cities, Americans love to hear small town stories. This could be because it is different than what they are used to and provides a sense of comfort and unity.

7) Rugged Individualism
This is when an individual or group stands up for a good cause, especially when it is freedom or liberty. Citizens like it when fellow citizens stand up for things that they also believe in and want.

8) Ethnocentrism
This is the belief that one's culture is superior to another. Ethnocentrism in journalism can be dangerous; you could come across as biased. People could see you as being insensitive to other cultures, ideas, or nations. Here is one example when ethnocentrism in the media came across as a problem.