The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel is a landmark publication which elucidates the core principles and practices of Journalism. The authors describe some of the ways in which the profession has changed in our society over the years. They decry the failure of journalism to adapt to the digital age.

They argue that journalism is essentially in a crisis situation at the moment as the profession struggles to adjust to the changing times and the popularity of new media. Chapter one questions many preconceived notions about journalism and how the process encourages the reader to think, analyze, and reconsider how we classify it. Indeed, Kovach and Rosensteil insist that to define Journalism is to limit it.

The authors believe that modern journalism has not lived up to its original promises. They write, “The collective failure of the news industry to adapt to the digital revolution was rooted in a crisis of confidence about news.” Journalism in the 21st century has become more interactive and collaborative than ever. The popularity of social networks has altered the role of journalism. Brevity of message and effective social networking are two of the primary tenets of modern journalism.

The public’s role in the production of news has also changed. Thanks to the instant access of news 24/7 and the saturation of media such as Twitter and Facebook, virtually anyone can commentate and participate in news production. This applies especially to witness ‘bearers’ who are on the scene and able to produce raw news – making it available in real time for the world to see.

The business of journalism has changed significantly in the last twenty years. Most experts acknowledge that the bottom line – profits – is what drives mainstream news today. Its primary mission is to sell advertising and produce docile consumers instead of keeping citizens informed and educated on important issues. Kovach and Rosensteil argue that news media must serve the interests of the widest community possible, not simply serve up pabulum.

The authors reference the case of Senator John McCain to explain what is called the “awareness instinct.” McCain has said that what he missed most during his five years of captivity as a P.O.W. in Vietnam wasn’t his family or good food: it was lack of information. Kovach and Rosensteil point out that people need news to live their lives and be able to function in society. News influences our quality of life, our opinions and our culture. When the free flow of news is obstructed, a “darkness falls and anxiety grows.” Human beings instinctively want and need to know what’s going on in the world.

Journalism suffered a “credibility crisis” in the 80s and 90s during the golden age of corporate mergers. The term “infotainment” was born to characterize a new trend in journalism at a time when market forces encouraged news producers to compromise their principles to maintain and grow their audience. When mega-corporations took control of news content, the quality of investigative reporting suffered. Programmers assumed the public wanted more mindless entertainment, and that’s what it gave them, and continues to give them.

In order to sell more papers and attract more viewers, the news became more homogenized and entertainment oriented at the expense of real news. Even though in some ways quality journalism has improved, the credibility issue still looms large in the profession. Turn on any of the morning “news” programs such as Good Morning America or Today and one can readily see that Americans are far better informed about the latest celebrity scandal or some failed, sordid murder-for-hire scheme than they are about global affairs.

Kovach and Rosenteil insist that journalists have a “broad moral and social obligation” to keep the public’s trust by providing accurate, reliable, untainted information. They reckon that the quality of our democratic life depends on the public’s ability to make sense of the facts via access to the verifiable Truth. That is a journalist’s first obligation: his loyalty should only be to his fellow citizens.

Journalism’s role as “gatekeeper” has also changed significantly. Social media technologies like Twitter and Facebook are part of a wide array of Internet technologies which enable every Tom, Dick, and Harry to disseminate news. This development serves to undermine the gatekeeping function of journalists. Traditionally, the gatekeeper function has been the ability to select information considered newsworthy to the audience, with the goal of seeking the Truth. In the current political climate, where whistleblowers are now being prosecuted by the government, the future looks rather bleak. The internet has challenged every aspect of this ‘journalist as gatekeeper’ model. Online, anyone can send critical news around the world at the touch of a screen.

In a media environment with unlimited sources of information the concept of well-defined gates through which information passes has been virtually eliminated. If there are no gates, there’s no need for anyone to tend them. Right?

The task of the new journalist is to act as a “sense-maker” by recognizing, conceptualizing and synthesizing hard news. This depends on their ability to turn verifiable information into factual, public knowledge.

The authors discuss their ‘theory of the interlocking public’ – characterizing news consumers into three groups. The first group is made up of those who have a personal stake in the news: the involved people; the second group is the interested people: citizens who have no direct role in the news but who are emotionally attached or affected by it; and finally, those who are simply uninterested. In the ‘interlocking public’ theory, people are at some point members of all three groups. Everyone prioritizes the news based on their person interests.

Unfortunately, sensationalism, sex scandals and an emphasis on celebrity culture currently dominates most mainstream news – especially local news. Local news is nothing more than a roll-call of orange jumpsuits and petty crime reports. This lack of journalistic responsibility erodes consumers trust.

Kovach & Rosenstiel acknowledge that good old fashioned journalism isn’t exactly dying, but it is in dire need of adjustment. Journalism must serve as an independent monitor of power and provide a forum for public criticism and compromise. I don’t see this happening any time soon, considering the amount of information that is withheld from the general public. If people aren’t even aware of what they don’t know, they are in no position to demand the Truth.

The challenge for future of journalists is to make the news significant, interesting and relevant. The authors see some reasons to be optimistic. They believe that Journalism needs to become more innovative and interactive. They see the current climate as a way to keep journalistic principles secure and an opportunity for news media to become more engaging and more valuable to our democracy.