Journalism Basics below can be material or lecture material Introduction to Journalism.
Journalism Basics can also be a reference subject for anyone who wants to get to know and dive into the world of journalism or just understand this journalism.
Understanding journalistic concepts will make readers more critical in receiving information or absorbing news presented in the mass media.
Journalistic History: Short History
Various literatures on journalistic history always refer to ” Acta Diurna ” in Ancient Roman times, especially during the reign of Julius Caesar (100-44 BC).
“Acta Diurna” is an announcement board – a type of wall magazine (bulletin board) or information board now – which is placed in the Romanum Forum so that it is known by many people.
Harfiyah, Acta Diurna is defined as a Daily Record or Daily Public Record.
Acta Diurna initially contained legal proceedings and decisions, then progressed to announcements of births, marriages, to royal or senatorial decisions and court proceedings.
Acta Diurna is believed to be the first journalistic product as well as the press, mass media, or the first newspaper / newspaper in the world. Julius Caesar was called the “Father of the World Press”.
The word or term journalism originates from the Acta Diurna . People who compile and write information for publication in Acta Diurna are called diurnalists.
From the word diurna comes the word du jour (French) which means “day” and journaling (English) which means report, then develops into journalism or journalism .
In English, a journalist means the person who makes or submits a report.
Understanding Journalism
In the Indonesian language, journalism is a matter that involves journalism and the news and vocational arts concerned with news and news ( KBBI ).
Journalism ( journalism ) is defined as ” the activity or profession of writing for newspapers, magazines, or news websites or preparing news to be broadcast .” (writing activities or professions for newspapers, magazines or news websites or preparing news for broadcast).
In an English dictionary, journalism is ” The collection and editing of news for presentations through the media; writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine ” ( Merriam Webster ).
Keywords in the sense of journalism are news and dissemination (publication).
Thus, practically, journalism can be defined as follows:
Journalism is a collection of news items (reporting), reporting events ( reporting ), news writing ( writing ), news copy editing ( editing ), and the presentation or dissemination of news ( publishing / broadcasting ) through the media.
The above journalistic definition as stated by Roland E. Wolseley in the book Understanding Magazines (1969): journalism is the collection, writing, interpretation, processing, and dissemination of general information, opinion of the public, systematic entertainment and trustworthiness for publication in newspapers, magazines, and broadcast.
Other experts or academics make journalistic definitions, among others, as follows:
– Journalism is intelligence in terms of writing whose main purpose is to provide news / information to the general public as quickly as possible and spread as widely as possible ( Adinegoro, Journalistic Communication Law, 1984 ).
– Journalism is a process of activities in processing, writing, and disseminating news and or opinions through mass media ( Asep Syamsul M Romli, Da’wah Journalism, 2003 ).
– Journalism is an activity carried out by a person in recording and reporting and disseminating information to the general public. The information referred to relates to daily activities ( Astrid Susanto, Mass Communication, 1986 )
– Journalism is an activity to collect, process and disseminate news as quickly and as widely as possible to the public ( Djen Amar, Journalistic Communication Law, 1984 ).
– Journalism ambraces all the forms in which and through the news and moments on the news reach the public. Journalism covers all forms of ways / activities carried out until a comment / news can be delivered to the public ( Fraser Bond, An introduction to Journalism, 1961 ).
– Journalism is a technique for managing news, from getting material to disseminating it to the public at large. ( Onong U. Effendi, Science, Teoiri and Philosophy of Communication, 1993 ).
Journalism: Process, Engineering, Science
I used to interpret journalism as the process, technique, and science of reporting, writing, and disseminating actual information (news) through the mass media.
- Process – the “activity” of reporting, writing, disseminating actual information through the media.
- Techniques – “expertise”, reporting and writing, expertise or skills covering, writing, and presenting news (skills)
- Science – “field of study”, the science of mass communication. Journalism is the study of communication through mass media.
Types of Journalism
Based on the media used for the publication or dissemination of information, journalism is divided into three types:
- Printed journalism – the process of journalism in the printed media of newspapers / newspapers, magazines, tabloids.
- Electronic Journalism ( electronic journalism ) or Broadcast Journalism ( Broadcast Journalism ) – ie the process of journalism in the media of radio , television, and movies.
- Online journalism or online journalism (in networks – that is the dissemination of information through news websites or news portals (internet media, online media, cyber media).
Based on the style and topic of the news, journalism is divided into many types:
- Peace Journalism
- War Journalism
- Development Journalism
- Yellow Journalism
- Clickbait Journalism
- Holy War Journalism (Crusade Journalism)
- Citizen Journalism
- Community Journalism
- Investigative Journalism
- Corporate Journalism (Corporate Journalism)
- Brand Journalism (Brand Journalism)
- Da’wah journalism, etc.
Understanding Journalists / Journalists
Journalists are called journalists or journalists.
KBBI said that a journalist is a person whose job is to find and compile news to be published in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Journalists are also called journalists or journalists.
- Journalists / Journalists are people who carry out journalistic activities routinely (Law No. 40/1999 concerning the Press)
- United Kingdom: Journalist, Reporter, Editor, Paper Man, News Man
Journalist Qualifications:
- Abide by the Code of Conduct ( Codes of Conduct )
- Mastering Coverage ( Beat )
- Master of Journalistic Engineering ( J-Skills )
Journalists are people who work in a mass media by doing journalistic activities (reporting and writing news) routinely, obeying the code of ethics, mastering the theme of its coverage, and mastering journalistic techniques, especially writing news and interviews.
Journalistic Code of Ethics
The journalistic code of ethics is the professional ethics of journalists. The main characteristic of professional journalists is to obey the code of ethics, as well as doctors, lawyers, and other professionals who have and obey the code of ethics.
The following is a summary of the journalistic code of ethics:
- Independent, accurate, balanced, and not in bad faith.
- Professional (show identity; respect the right to privacy; don’t bribe; factual and clear source news; no plagiarism; use of certain methods can be considered for reporting investigative news in the public interest).
- Balanced, do not mix facts and opinions that judge, and apply the principle of presumption of innocence.
- Do not make lies, slander, sadistic, and obscene news.
- Do not abuse the profession and do not accept bribes.
- Have the right to refuse to protect sources who are not willing to know their identity or whereabouts, respecting embargo provisions, background information, and “off the record”.
- Do not write or broadcast news based on prejudice or racial discrimination.
- Respect personal life, except for the public interest.
- Immediately revoke, correct, and correct false / inaccurate news accompanied by apologies to readers, listeners and or viewers.
- Serve Right to Answer and Right of Correction proportionally.
9 Elements of Journalism
The journalistic code of ethics is universally listed in the 9 Elements of Journalism put forward by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel (2001) in The Elements of Journalism, What New People Should Know and the Public Should Expect (New York: Crown Publishers, 2001) as follows:
- The first obligation is the truth.
- Loyalty (loyalty) journalism is to citizens (citizens).
- Verification discipline.
- Journalists must remain independent.
- Journalists act as monitors.
- Journalism must provide a forum for criticism, comments, and responses from the public.
- Making important things interesting and relevant.
- The news presented is comprehensive and proportional
- Following conscience – ethics, moral responsibility and standards of value.
Later, Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel added the tenth principle: “citizens also have rights and responsibilities in matters relating to the news.”
Journalistic Engineering (J-Skills)
Journalism Skills (Journalism Skills) are special skills or skills in terms of reportage, news writing and editing, as well as insight and use of journalistic or media language.
- Reportage Techniques: Observation, Interview, Literature Study. Journalists must be good at interviewing and observing events. Journalists must also be reliable in data research or literature studies.
- News Writing. News writing is a journalist’s main skill.
- News Reporting (for Radio / TV): News Reading, Spoken Reading, News Script Writing). Especially electronic media reporters (TV / Radio) must be skilled at presenting news (news presenting) directly (live report) or become a news presenter in the studio.
- Editing Journalists must be skilled at editing scripts before they are published.
- Journalistic Languages. Journalists must master the rules of journalistic language, that is, the language of the press or the language of the media, with the characteristics of concise, straightforward, and easy to understand.
Practically, the basic journalism that journalists must have is the expertise to cover students, write the news, conduct interviews, and obey the code of ethics.
Journalistic Languages
Journalistic language – also called the language of the media, the language of the press, the language of the newspaper, or the language of journalists – is the style of language used by journalists in writing news with short, compact, simple, clear, straightforward, and interesting characteristics.
Indonesian language expert Jus Badudu states, the language of journalism must be simple, easily understood, organized, and effective.
In summary: Journalistic language saves words ( economy of words ), chooses short words and sentences, due to limited space and duration, including avoiding saturated words and redundant words .
Straightforward: use denonative words / sentences, one meaning, not ambiguous, and go straight to the problem ( straight to the point ) alias is not wordy.
Journalistic Products: Journalistic Works
Broadly speaking, the product or journalistic work is
- News
- Opinions (Views)
- Featured
News is an event report. Opinions are writings containing opinions, judgments, thoughts, or analysis of an issue or event.
A feature is writing that combines facts and opinions or typical writing style of writing literary works such as short stories or novels.
Photos and videos are included in journalistic products if they are journalistic photos and journalistic videos.
- Types of news include Hard News, Opinion News, Interpretative News, Etc.
- Types of Opinions include Articles, Editorials, Columns, Caricature, Corner, Essays, Scientific Popular)
- The types of features include tips, travel reports, biographies, profiles, reviews, etc.
News Processing: News Production Process
- News Planning
- News Hunting / News Gathering
- News Writing
- News Editing
- Publishing
The journalistic process in practice is planning news (eg editorial meetings), coverage of events (including interviews), writing news scripts, editing, and publication through mass media.
Editorial Management
- Editor in Chief / Chief Editor / Editor in Chief (+ deputy if needed)
- Managing Editor / Managing Editor (+ representative if needed)
- Editor / Editor / Fabric (Person in Charge of Rubrics)
- Reporter & Photographer
- Correspondent
- Contributors (incl. Author & columnist).
The news process is included in editorial management. HR in editorial management consists of editor in chief to contributors. Everything is called a reporter.
There are journalists who served – hierarchically – editor in chief, deputy chief editor, editor, coverage coordinator, reporter, photographer (photo journalist), correspondent (regional journalist), and contributor, namely freelance journalists who are paid per writing alias not paid monthly such as sd correspondents Chief Editor.
Journalistic Media: Types of Mass Media
- Print Media
- Electronic Media (Electronic Media)
- Cyber Media (Cyber Media)
The results of the journalistic process or journalistic work are published through mass media which are divided into three types.
Print media consists of newspapers (newspapers, daily publications), magazines, and tabloids.
Electronic media consists of broadcast radio, television and film.
Cyber Media is mass media on the internet – known as online media, news sites, news portals , news websites, or online media.
