A hunting we will go

Journalism
From Dictionary.com
The collecting, writing, editing, and presenting of news or news articles in newspapers and magazines and in radio and television broadcasts.

The style of writing characteristic of material in newspapers and magazines, consisting of direct presentation of facts or occurrences with little attempt at analysis or interpretation.

I think this definition is mostly towards news reporting as it is very traditional and narrow. Merely presenting the news is not sufficient now as audiences today would like to know the consequences or effects of an event. For example, the escalating violence in the Middle East will have far-reaching religious and political consequences for people around the world, and some sort of analysis would be expected in a credible newspaper.

Journalism to me also entails using facts that are verifiable, as that ensures integrity and credibility of the news writer and the publication as well. When reporting something, a journalist should always check and re-check his or her facts, especially when writing critical articles, as it would only make the writer look stupid for basing an entire article off assumptions.

Finally, journalism also evokes independence, to be able to touch on and argue any issue rationally, and to be able to provoke people into thinking and asking questions.

Alternative Media
From AlterNet.
Debates about the differences between mainstream and alternative media often see mainstream media as "maximizing audiences by appealing to safe, conventional formulas" and alternative media as "foregoing the comfortable, depoliticizing formulas to advocate programs of social change"

I agree with this definition as I think the mainstream media is owned by corporations whose first duty, first and foremost, is to the Board of Directors. In Malaysia examples abound, as all major TV stations, publications and radio channels are owned by corporations owned directly by the ruling party or controlled by their proxies. The only form of alternative media would be Malaysiakini, the independently-run blogs, and a few publications that aren’t available to most of the population.

Mainstream media appeal to the status quo and do not rock the boat as the biggest money making tactic is to appeal to the lowest common denominator. New ideas or social change will not be big on the agenda as the main role is not to provoke thought, but to pacify audiences with entertainment and earn more money.

Advocacy Journalism
From Environment Writer Newsletter July/August 1999.
Advocacy is a word we have been taught to avoid. It marks a bias, something most journalists are convinced should not be acknowledged, despite the fact that it is inescapable.

I agree with the definition of advocacy journalism as it describes the subjectiveness of this form of writing, but I disagree that advocacy journalism is said to be unfair. Sometimes, in situations where the issue or cause represented by advocacy journalism is lost or forgotten by the mainstream media, then this form of journalism is needed to represent the people who still believe in the cause or opinion.

Advocacy journalism does not masquerade as balanced journalism, and even if there was am intention eventually people will recognise that it represents only a particular viewpoint.