What Do You Think?

Journalism is more of craft  and not a profession

 Journalism involves identifying newsworthy information for the mass communication. Identifying, gathering and writing news are interdependent and of equal importance to the media. Therefore journalism concerns itself with the gathering and conveying news to a large, diverse audience through the media, whether print (newspapers, magazines, etc) or electronic (radio, television, internet, etc). (Clear, 2011)

 

2.1. WHY JOURNALISM IS REGARDED AS A CRAFT AND NOT A PROFESSION. 

An article by Sam Smith states that journalism has always been a craft- an art- but never a profession. It depends too much on the perception, skill, empathy, and honesty of the practitioner rather than on the acquisition of technical knowledge and skill (www.prorev.com). A good example is when an Al Jazeera reporter was accused on Thursday, January 16, 2014 for fabricating news with the intent of harming Egypt's image abroad.(www.madamasr.com)

Journalism can be seen as a craft as there are more journalist out there with personal blogs with different information ranging from fashion to conspiracies without the necessary need to make a living out of it. The belief is that information is like air. It should be for free and not sold to the highest bidder. Hence, the passion is what drives most of these journalists to take it up as a craft because they do not want to be limited to what is seen as right or wrong by the media houses which they believe are mostly controlled by the same people who they are writing about.

Most people want to gain knowledge and become aware of national and international events. The media satisfy these needs most appropriately because of the variety of information they convey. However for the people to know the whole truth the information must not be diluted in this case happens with professional journalism whereby editors edit the information and make it more favourable to the government so as to avoid scrutiny from them.

The government plays a major role in the distribution of media all over the world, for it can affect the government positively or negatively and the people within that country. According to the article "many journalist have become glamour figure or immediate public personalities, especially those reporting investigating journalism, exposing corruption at the government level in South Africa. In fact, in the view of several social critics, journalists have become part of new society dubbed ''mediacracy,'' described as a public aristocracy of people important''. This shows how much power the government has over the media. Therefore, through mediacracy, free journalist practicing their craft are able to expose the truth with no limitations unlike a professional journalist who has to pass through an editor (sub-editor, etc) before publication.

Journalism as a craft shows that these type of journalists practice their craft for fun, making creative decisions and to pass time with the knowledge of giving out information that is of worth to the media. However journalism is also seen as a profession because one can make a living (earn money) through it. A journalist who makes a living through it works for specific media organizations. They gather information/ news during work hours and present newsworthy reports to the organization they are working for. (Clear, 2011)

It is a profession because it is a course offered in Universities all over the world. Many journalists go to colleges to get a degree and have that competitive advantage in a competitive field. Journalism is regarded as a profession because journalists receive instructions from the news editors and also gather news on their own initiative (which means that they not bound to the office or normal office hours) because they need to go out regularly to cover events in their effort to obtain information. (Clear, 2011)

A professional journalist works under pressure because he or she has to meet the medium's deadlines. they have to work with public relation practitioners and freelancers to fill this role because a freelance journalist does not work under a specific organization. Journalists often rewrite or change these news items before presenting them in the style of the medium. Journalism concerns itself with informing the general public, whereas public relation is all about informing internal and external groups. (Clear, 2011).

A professional journalist comes across various information when they go out in the field but out of all the information they would have conveyed it is possible that the news presented is not of worth or importance and need to search in deeper lengths for their story to be a front page. These journalists tasks is not easy for they have to present something to their editors and meet their deadlines unlike a free journalist who can present whatever information they happen to find whether it is newsworthy or not, to them its valid.

3.1.CONCLUSION 

This assignment gave a broader understanding of why journalism is more of a craft than a profession. Various reasons have been discussed in relation to why it is more of a craft that a profession. This assignment covered what journalism means, what a journalist does and what role he or she plays in the media field. How messages are conveyed to the general public. It also looked at what craft means and how a free journalist practicing their craft can present to the general public as well. 
 

This assignment somewhat gave a better understanding to both journalism as a craft and as a profession. However to conclude journalism is a craft because one is able to express their views, opinions, thoughts and making of ideas without discrimination, scrutiny, and judgment or selected words or pieces that should be provided to the medium or mass media.

4.1.SOURCES CONSULTED 

Clear, A. 2011. Dynamics of Public Relation and Journalism 3rd edition: Juta Cape town Leiter, K, Harriss, J & Johnson, S. 2000. The Complete Reporter. 7th edition. Allyn and Bacon.

http://www.madamsar.com/content/aje-journalists-charged-falsifying-news-threatening-security.htm [Accessed on 2014, February 24]

http://www.prorev.com/jcraft.htm. [Accessed on 2014, February 24]

http://www.journalism.com[Accessed on 2014, February 24]

Leading Network In Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's two leading mobile service providers.

There are three service providers in Zimbabwe which are Econet Wireless, Telecel Wireless, and Netone Wireless.

 

Econet wireless is a diversified telecommunications group with operations and investments in Africa, Europe, South America and East Asia Pacific Rim, offering products and services in the core areas of mobile and fixed telephony services, internet and satellite. (www.econetwireless.com).

 

Econet wireless Zimbabwe is Zimbabwe’s largest provider of telecommunications service, providing solutions in mobile and fixed wireless telephony, public payphones, internet access and payment solutions. It’s a widespread network that reaches out even in the most remote areas within the country.

 

Econetwireless has two types of consumers which are prepaid consumers and contract consumers. Prepaid consumers and Contract consumers have a certain way they are treated by its service provider, which is peak off tariffs, free messages and free minutes this also applies to contract consumers the only difference between the two consumers is that contract consumers are econet wireless first priority; they are treated with special care, given first preference.

 

Its vision is to provide telecommunications to all the people of Zimbabwe, and its mission is to serve Zimbabwe by pioneering, developing and sustaining, reliable, efficient and high-quality telecommunications of uncompromising world-class standards and ethics.

 Pioneering

We are a company committed to finding the best way forward, in a fast moving and highly competitive technological field. To remain at the top, we shall relentlessly pursue innovative solutions, and constantly grow our knowledge base with uncompromising passion for excellence.

 

Professionalism

In everything we do, both within Econet Wireless and in the community, we always work in a customer-oriented and objective manner with clearly defined goals in terms of quality of service. In all our professional areas, and at all levels, we will carry out our duties skillfully and diligently.

 

Personal

Internally, we will always remember that we are a company made up of individuals. These people are the company. Each one is an intrinsically valuable member of the organization, irrespective of their gender, race or position. We will always show concern for each other in an atmosphere that is open and stimulates personal development and job satisfaction and a sense of responsibility. We believe in working in teams, in effective and confident co-operation.
 

Econet focuses on giving what the consumers want and concentrates on giving it is users quality services. It also has built a platform for mobile banking and wireless money transfer and was the first mobile network to introduce this platform in Zimbabwe.
 

Telecel Zimbabwe is currently the second largest mobile phone network in Zimbabwe with more than 2500 000 active subscribers. It is jointly owned by Telecel Globe and the empowerment Corporation. Telecel globe is a subsidiary of Orascom Telecom Company, a major international. Telecel Zimbabwe is well placed to keep abreast of the latest technology available internationally and apply it effectively to local communications.

 

Telecel Zimbabwe’s vision is to become the most innovative and pioneering communications company of choice in Zimbabwe and the region that can inspire people on the growth of the network within the country. Its mission is to establish the most profitable and consumer centric communication business in the region with unmatched superior support to achieve this goal, deliver and maintain a high level of consumers service efficiently and cost effectively.

 

Among services Telecel is offering are voice calls at affordable rates in Zimbabwe on its network by offering 100% bonus airtime on all Telecel recharge cards. Customers can also use the co-branded opera-mini browser to browse the internet at lower rates due to the data compression ability of the service. (www.telecel.co.zw)

 

 Sources Consulted

The values and goal setting of Telecel Zimbabwe. [online] http://www.telecel.co.zw  [Accessed 15 July 2013]

Parshon Muranganwa, Contact Center Manager, Econet Wireless, Zimbabwe.

What is Econet Wireless. [online] Available Http:// www.econet.co.zw [Accessed on 15 July 2013]

What is Telecel Zimbabwe [online] http://www.telecel.co.zw  [Accessed 15 July 2013]

Network

The spread of the network society in the most remote places and the deepest pores of the world.

‘‘Mobile and wireless technology will spread the network society to the most remote places and the deepest pores of the world’’ (Van Dijk 2006:59)

The truth in the statement above is as one illustrates in giving account of personal experience with the spread of mobile technology to even the most remote areas of the world. You find that in rural areas people within that society now have some sort of mobile phone that they use to communicate with either relatives than are in the urban areas or elsewhere. Network barriers have been put to accommodate both people in remote areas

To a larger extent I do agree with the statement above because worldwide technology is fast growing, as most research and information in now found electronically and on the internet, so basically internet services are growing to all parts of world varying from normal cable connections to wireless connections such as the ‘wifi’ services…..if we put mobile and wireless technology to the world it’s going to make communication channels easy for everyone. This makes communication much easier even in the most remote areas.

Mobile and wireless technology also contribute to our social lives by giving introduction of mobile phones which can reach out to the deepest part of the world. Mobile technology is advancing our ability to connect and share information in the ways that were not possible even a couple of years ago and wireless services coming into play are even making the processes fast than ever. Mobile and wireless technology play a huge role specifically in adolescences relationships. Mobile phone technology allows us to communicate with social groups in new ways, and to reaffirm those relationships, regardless of distance. (Lyon, 2010)

As we move forward technology has accelerated the pace of our lives, enabled us to connect to the web with a pocket-sized device and opened our lifestyle to the world in ways that were not possible only a few short years ago. We will explore mobile technology’s influence in a network society by exploring smart phones. Technology has grown rapidly within the past centuries. (http://sparxoo.com)

Mobile phones have a major impact on modern society as they are increasingly useful social tools. In 2004 "there were most almost two billion mobile subscribers world-wide’’. The majority of worldwide business uses this technology to communicate. 

Mobiles have changed the way people organize activities, meetings and social occasions, and generally the way people go about living everyday life. Mobile phones have developed multi-features they are more than just a phone and can be used for sending text messages, taking photos, surfing the internet, playing music, using a calculator, maps, GPS, banking, radio, business’s such as voice memos, and are capable of an amazing amount of functions and some have many more functions than a computer, have the added bonus of high portability. 

On the downside however mobile phones can break down personal barriers where a person can find it hard to have any personal time, or participate fully in their present environment without interruptions as the majority of people ever turn their phones, so there is always constant communication. Modern day society has formed a very strong reliance on mobile phones and have developed a need to be constantly contacted. Overall mobiles have a very large influence on relationships. (www.studymode.com)

There is a place in Zimbabwe were network coverage does not even exist in the deep pores of a small town call Rusape. The people within that community do have the knowledge of mobile phones and are aware of the social networks that are spreading widely but because that particular area does not accommodate the facilities of network coverage in order for those people to get network coverage they have to go in the mountains or in the town centre to communicate. But however the network facilities are trying by all means to have to spread the network society to accommodate even those in deeper remote places throughout the world.

So one could say the Van Dijk statement is true because not all remote areas were network capable but now are and you find that worldwide the network coverage is spreading out rapidly.

　

Sources Consluted

Ethan, L. (2010 April 27) Mobile Technology’s Influence In Network Society.

Roles of mobile networks in a society. Available

www.role-of-mobile-networks.com.htm

http://sparkxoo.com /2010/04/27/mobile-techs-influence- in-a-network-society.htm [Accessed 8 April 2013]

http://www.studymode.com/essay/1-what-role-do-mobile-phones-play-in-a-society-702021-html. [Accessed 8 April 2013]

http://www.wirelesscentre.net.htm [Accessed 7 April 2013]