The Roles of Journalism

• News Reporting – Telling readers what goes on in the coverage area—the good, the bad and the ugly.
• Watch dog: Journalism keeps an eye on those in power to keep them from abusing the trust placed in them.
• Entertainment: Giving your reader an emotionally rewarding break from the hardships of life.
• Recordkeeping : Reporting all the events in a coverage area so there will be a record for others to look back on.
• Spirit: Providing coverage that shows readers the positive side of their community.
• Community image: Stories that makes the coverage area look good to those outside.
• Reader Culture: Reportage that gives readers and viewers what they want, no matter what it is.
• Leadership: Coverage that shows the audience what alternatives and choices exists to resolve problems and conflicts.
• Public Forum: Coverage that provides the audience a chance to express their views and or sound off on whatever topic it wants.
• Interpretation: Coverage that explains how events, issues and personalities are tied together and how they affect readers’ lives.
• Paying your way: Coverage that attracts advertisers, who give you money to print.

• Economics: The public needs information about products, goods and services, in addition to events. The press provides this via articles and advertising.
• The Social Function: Back in the day, learned much of its news via gossip and work of mouth. Today the media provides this, allowing readers to keep track of what their neighbors are doing. Plus, it gives them something to talk about.
• The Marketplace Function:  The press is the marketplace of ideas, allowing the free flow of information from the citizenry to the government to business and back.

• Adapted from “Introduction to Journalism,” published by Houghton Mifflin, 2001 and “Journalism Today” by Donald L. Ferguson  and Jim Patten)