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Police Reporter

If I was a police reporter and a young man would tell me a story about an off-duty police officer who has bashed him, I would investigate the story further to ensure that the man was telling the truth. As a journalist I know that it is my duty to report the crime. Further, the story sounds newsworthy. The police officer appears unprofessional; he is part of the government and he is supposed to protect citizens. Morever, I would consult my chief-off-staff and tell him if I report the story that the police will not talk to me again. In other words, I let him decide. If he wants me to publish the story, I will do it because I want to keep my job.

Suicidal woman

I do not want to endanger her life. Hence, I would be careful. In other words, I would not identify her in my report if I tell her story. I would write the story in passive voice to create a distinct separation between the crime and the suspect. This way, the defendant could not be recognized. All in all, I think the story sounds to be more like curiosity rather than a right to know story.

Celebrity

As a journalist I do not care whether a citizen or a celebrity is charged in an open court. In other words, I would report on the celebrity. Like a celebrity, a citizen can also lose his job. I do not distinguish between them. It would be unfair to the other ordinary citizen, if I did. Finally, it sounds newsworthy, especially, if the celebrity would be a politician like G. Bush.

High-profile Murder Trial

The story appears very newsworthy. If there is enough time I would investigate the story. However, I would definitely consult the experts to tell them about the situation that two jury members have accepted bribes from two corrupt high-ranking police officers. It is unfair if the suspect does not get a fair process. Finally, I would consult my chief-of-staff and tell him that I have a newsworthy story that reveals how our system operates. If he allows me to publish the story, I will take responsibility for the consequences. If the story is true and I do not report on it, I could not call myself a journalist. Plus, I would support the police officers. In other words, I would be responsible that the subject was charged because of corrupt officers.

Journalists Must Be Engaged With Media

Journalist must know everything. If journalists want to inform the public, they must be well informed. They should develop both general and specific knowledge from wide variety of sources. If they work for the newspaper, they should know about their newspaper. If they work for the radio, they should listen to their radio station. In other words, journalist should get informed before they leave for work. It is important, especially, if someone wants to comment a story, they need the background knowledge. Apart from that, journalists should read other newspapers such as local and national ones. This way they know what the concurrence is reporting on and whether they missed some breaking news. Another reason is that journalists get a wider knowledge. Further, they can become more critical and can be quick at repartee. It is also a good way to gather story ideas. To get gather story ideas, and to stay informed, journalist should consult all media. In other words, it is important to listen to the radio which includes the public and commercialised radio. Apart from that, they should watch public and commercialised television and engage with the internet, which is very dynamic because it involves all three media. Journalist should always carry a notebook with them and keep a journal to gather or develop ideas. Furthermore, it is essential to gather contacts and talk to them now and then.
All in all, it journalists should not focus only one medium but on all media. They must be flexible, always make notes and engage with new media.