Let me just start off by saying, I get it. I get that every news outlet, every journalist, every reporter wants to be the most watched, the most read, the most successful. I get it, I do. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be the best, to have a large following, but when did the loss, the devastation of others mean "better ratings" for the journalistic world?
If you've kept up with the news lately, then you know the floods that have destroyed thousands of homes, cities and families in the state of Louisiana.
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Many have lost everything. Everything. Families, businesses, schools, churches, they all have to start from the ground up.
Can you imagine? Everything you own, everything you have worked for, gone in a second. Your life changed forever.
One thing that is more disturbing than the immense loss that thousands are facing is the fact that one is talking about, reporting on the help and aid that the state of Louisiana has received since the floods came.
Yes, it is important to talk about the state of emergency Louisiana is in, but it is just as important to report on the selfless acts performed by thousands all over our country towards the great state.
My concern as a Communications Major, an aspiring reporter and journalist is, why isn't anyone talking about this? The kind actions of thousands of individuals, organizations, churches are nowhere to be heard or read in our media.
Is the media at such a compromise that the only agenda is to stir the pot? To create strife and argument within the masses?
My concern as a Communications major is what does the future of reporting and journalism look like? Will I be asked in my profession to only report on racial tension? Discrimination? What lives do or do not matter? Which presidential candidate has the worst potential? Will I be asked to stir the pot? Fuel the fire? Will I be asked to ignore the good and only focus on the bad? Will our future reporters, journalists, activists be asked to compromise? Will I be asked to talk about how our president is golfing while there is a state this is almost completely under water?
Will our future generation be asked to lie? To be biased? Will we be asked to follow the media's agenda of what is popular?
Will we be asked to report hate crimes, murders, deaths, natural disasters, loss, war, etc... and not include the thousands of stories, movements, actions that help alleviate the chaos that our society faces?
Why isn't anyone talking about Louisiana Strong? A phrase that describes the courageous, kind acts towards the people of Louisiana? Why aren't we talking about the help that these people need? Or better yet, why haven't we heard about the help that they are receiving from people within their own community?
Lastly, what will our future Journalists do about this? Will we allow room for change? Will we allow the possibility of our profession not having such a negative connotation? Will we be able to speak the truth? No matter what it is or what it looks like?
In a world, that is described and viewed as inhumane, I hope our future leaders focus on the simplicity and beauty, the fragility of humanity.
