Author: Rachel (Page 2 of 3)

In a paragraph (or two), post a comment on one of the above readings and/or videos (you could follow up on some of the questions I ask). In your post, try to also provide an example of your own, either of an interesting case involving the First Amendment (freedom of speech/press) or a case of “Fake News” that has gone viral . Due Monday, Oct. 11.

1. Just yesterday, another investigative site (the Pandora Papers) posted highly embarrassing information on how the leader of Jordan and other wealthy people across the globe hide their vast fortunes from the public eye.  This is investigative journalism certainly doing “its job” as a watchdog. (Can you explain why doing so is so important?)

It is important because it has given massive information and detail as a the journalist, and explaining Jordan and other wealthy people’s motives on money. The journalist is most definitely doing well on their job as a watchdog getting information and details from the interviewee.  It is also important to publish it out in public and expose the former leaders from hiding their secret and King Abdullah is one of the former leader who use secret shell company to hide his wealth. This also include exposing other dozens of current and former leaders whose overseas investments were exposed. For example, Prime Minister Andrej Babis of the Czech Republic, who is said to have bought property in the south of France using a complicated offshore structure. Some former leaders also avoid paying taxes, like Tony Blair for example, he’s the former British prime minister, who avoided paying taxes worth more than $400,000 when he and his wife Cherie take over London’s property by purchasing the offshore company that owned it. These are very important information that can catch readers and audience’s views on what their former leaders are up to.

2. Does the First Amendment allow FAKE NEWS?  Facebook (and Twitter) famously allowed the spread of false information during Donald Trump’s presidency but finally kicked him off their sites for lying about the election results (that Biden didn’t win) and generally riling up his supporters with false assertions (leading to the Capitol riots). 

The First Amendment stated that it allows freedom of speech. This is the statement: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The whole purpose of the freedom of speech is to speak what’s on your mind and speaking up on your own beliefs and opinions on the certain situation. But the government stated that it no one was ever allow to slander or spread false information about someone else that isn’t true.  So, no the First Amendment doesn’t allow “Fake News,” and one of the example was about Mr. Trump. He posted a video on January 6th, and it is a stoked violence and it posed a risk to public safety. Basically what he posted was “We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election,” Mr. Trump falsely claimed in a video posted to Facebook.  This post caused chaos between Trump supporters and Biden supporters that the Facebook have to ban Trump and block all his post and his account, because he violated the safety policy of Facebook. This is an example text that support the First Amendment will not allow fake news posted, and that includes other fake news, not just in Facebook, but other website, social media platform, or place to publish the news.

In a paragraph (or two), discuss an example from the media (an article or feature) that shows how the media is doing its job 1) serving as a social/political “watchdog” (keeping a watchful eye on American politicians and other prominent figures, our corporations and institutions) 2) encouraging public discussion on an important topic, OR 3) providing readers useful information to help make an “empowered decision”.

It was indeed an article written by Najim Rahim and Matthieu Aikins. In this article it is most definitely encouraging public discussion on an important topic and providing readers useful information to help make an empowered decisions.  In the article it states the horrible tragedy of innocent people in Afghanistan were killed by the U.S Missile Drone, and that includes 7 innocent children being killed.  It also said that a giant American airlift came to carry ten thousands of Afghans to safety, but they also left tens of thousands more behind,  Many civilians from Afghanistan were encourage to speak up about the whole situation in public and to mourn over the lost of their family members. This also include Mr. Ahmadi ( Zemari Ahmadi) and several of the children were killed inside his car, his family witnessed the whole explosion.

Secondly, this article that was posted in new York times was an important information that is helpful to the readers/ audience and that encourages them to help make an empowered decision. Furthermore in the article the most devastating part was Anisaa Ahamdi, Zemari Ahmadi’s wife, having to mourn over the lost of her husband and her 4 innocent children. She said that America used them to defend itself and now they’ve destroyed Afghanistan, and she also said who ever dropped the bomb on them may god punish the attackers.  Another important information. allows the reader to understand was that American lied about Zemari Ahamdi being a ISIS, but he wasn’t. His family claim that the media lied about them and that neither of the family member or Zemari Ahamdi was connected to ISIS.  This is how media is doing it’s job providing information from the witnesses by interviewing that and sharing it to the pubic for every readers to see and include their opinions on the situation.

In a post, respond to one of the key points the article makes and/or give an example from the media that relates to one of these “essentials.”

One of the key points from the article that I’ve read so far is “journalist truth” and another key point would be personal conscience. The “journalist truth ” is a process that begins with the professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. It is a good way to start out as a journalist and to be able to write a news, articles, and etc. with the truth.  Lying and making things up to stay relevant as a journalist would lead to a down fall or even losing reputation if everything in the news or articles is nothing but lies. The truth is the key to show how professional you can be as a journalist. Lastly, the second key point personal conscience, and as a journalism, whether if it’s a professional writer for a news organization or as an online contributor in the public space, the most important thing is to involves personal sense of ethics and responsibility. Providing news is important when it comes to being a journalist. As self realization, this also provides the responsibility of a journalist and shows that they have a voice that they want people to hear out loud and connecting to the audience. News organization also help nurture the writers independence and it encourage them to speak for their mind. As for employees it is always important to asked for any errors they have make to correct themselves and analysis the mistakes they’ve done, so they can  become a better journalist, for their boss.  These are a few of the key points that show how essential being journalism is.