What is journalism? Who is a journalist?

The idea of journalism typically brings the image of a reporter with a pen and note pad shouting questions at a city official. The profession has morphed as technology has evolved and society's demand for information grown. In order to meet the demand, ideas of traditional journalism have been changed along with the concept of who is a journalist.
The founding period of the United States of America is marked with the importance of small publications. The local printers of the day spread news of the war, political propaganda, and developments in the newly formed government. The value of these publications was noted by the founders as they explicitly protected the freedom of the press in the Bill of Rights. The press gathered what information it could about events, movements, and government actions and distributed those to the public. Their efforts helped keep the young American government relevant to its new citizens. Journalism is the ideal of gathering and presenting that information in a truthful and unbiased matter. The role of journalism is to provide that information as a check on government, and in today’s world a check on society. Without this watchdog entity the people remain uninformed about the actions of the government and political groups. An uninformed public leads to a government that is not accountable for the people they serve.
The ideal of journalism has morphed into a mix of information and entertainment. The public has always been interested in the everyday lives of their leaders and icons. Recently large portions of news casts focus on the personal issues that of public figures. The spreading of this information does not help people keep a check on the government. This new role of journalism provides society with a check on itself. The public use the news about celebrities as a way to gauge current values and how they will hold up. This side of journalism has always existed but the recent boom in entertainment news has been aided by the internet and mobile reporting. News organizations are businesses and must provide the public with what will bring in revenue for the network. Journalists must find the balance between informing the public on issues that matter and satiating the public’s lust for gossip.
Journalists are found wherever news is happening. That statement may seem broad and cliché, but in reality anyone who can broadcast, publish, or share information with another can be considered a journalist. Each individual who seeks to inform another about current events is helping society keep a check on itself and the government. No job title or license is required to be considered a journalist. YouTube, camera phones, blogs, cell phones and the internet in general have increased the flow of information and its ease of access. Official news organizations rely on their own reporters as well as the accounts of regular people at the scene of news events. Fox News and Reuters are two examples of news organizations that encourage their viewers to send in their pictures, video, and stories to be shared on the air. However, there is a distinction to be made between a journalist and a commentator. A journalist must present facts in a truthful and balanced matter, whereas a commentator offers their opinion and views on news events. Some individuals such as Sean Hannity or Bob Schieffer play both roles. It is the responsibility of the reporter to clarify when they are a commentator or a journalist. Misleading the public on either end is detrimental to the views the public has on reality.
Journalism is the medium through which the public is informed about the world around them. Responsible journalism provides the invaluable service of keeping government accountable to its people. Those who aspire or claim to be journalists must be careful to present the information in a way that follows the facts and does not play favorites. Holding to the ideal of journalism is essential to keeping the profession an asset rather than a detriment to our world.