Journalism students and faculty shared their thoughts on the benefits and challenges of being journalists during “Making a Difference,” an interactive discussion sponsored by the Graduate Student Association.
The event was held Monday afternoon in Allen Hall before an audience of approximately 35.
Debra Merskin, an associate journalism professor and one of the key speakers, said the event was a success, and she hopes there will be a second meeting to continue discussing journalism issues.
“We were able to learn more about what our colleagues are doing and how they feel about issues,” she said.
During her presentation, Merskin said one advantage of being a journalist is the way she can introduce people to new ideas through her work.
To illustrate her point, Merskin spoke of writing her book, “What Does One Look Like?,” in which she attempts to illustrate the differences among ethnicities. When members of a German museum e-mailed her, asking permission to use her work in an upcoming exhibit, she knew her writing had made a difference to someone.
“I felt satisfied because people were obviously reading about what’s going on out there,” she said.
Carol Ann Bassett, an assistant professor in magazine writing, also shared how her work has made a difference in society. Bassett wrote a magazine article in 1986 about looters of sacred archaeology sites. Because of her work, one grave digger was put in prison. Bassett said she is pleased because the article is also used today as required reading for archaeology students at the University of Arizona.
“As journalists we can make a difference sometimes,” she said.
The group also discussed how a journalist should handle objectivity, both when reporting the news and when teaching students. Bassett said she thinks it’s important to remain true to one’s beliefs, but she said as a journalist, she often has to step back from the issue she is reporting on in order to avoid becoming biased.
“I don’t think it’s possible to be 100 percent objective in any profession,” she said. “But it is necessary to try and maintain neutrality in journalism.”
Tim Gleason, dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, said there are unique challenges journalism professors face when teaching students how to think critically. He said if students know a professor’s position on a certain issue, they often “try to give back to us what we give to them.”
Gleason said it is therefore important to provide a full overview of all aspects of material in classroom discussions to encourage students’ thinking. This approach, however, challenges a professor’s objectivity if he or she is not familiar with the material or feels passionate about one side of the particular issue, he said.
Gleason said he is satisfied when his students do not know his position on a particular issue because it shows that he has maintained objectivity in the classroom.
Chris Tinequail, a journalism major and a member of the Graduate Student Association, co-organized the event and said she was pleased with the faculty’s enthusiasm while speaking during the discussion.
“I think a lot of good points were made, leaving me with a better understanding of journalism principles,” she said.