27 3. Each group arranges their sheets into two sections
– one of the five characteristics of journalism, and one of the ten elements of journalism. Each
section should be stuck with tape to a large sheet of paper and put on the wall. 5 minutes
4. Each group presents their results. 10 minutes 5. Give a presentation on the five characteristics and ten elements of journalism,
while re-arranging
the group’s papers into the correct sets at the same time. 20 minutes
6. Discuss any remaining issues, and hold a question-and-answer session. 15 minutes
Reading materials Five characteristics of journalism
According to Luwu Ishwara’s 2005 book Basic Journalism, there are five important characteristics of journalism that must be paid attention to.
1. Be criticalskeptical
Being critical means you are always asking questions, doubting what you learn, and being careful to ensure you are not tricked. The key part to being critical is doubt.
Journalists should not be satisfied with statements alone; they need to go to the field and dig for information.
2. Act
Journalists shouldn’t just sit around waiting for news to come to them. They should be actively searching for it.
3. Change
Change is a major part of journalism. Journalists are no longer simply bearers of news, but facilitate, sort through, and give meaning to information.
4. Art and Profession
Journalists can look at events with fresh eyes to capture their unique aspects.
5. Role of the Press
The press acts as the eyes and ears of the people, reporting what is happening beyond people’s immediate communities in a neutral and objective way. The press also acts as
interpreters, public representatives, watchdogs, and advocators.
28
Ten Elements of Journalism – by Iwan Yulianto
Let’s learn about reading and writing for the media…
When reading the Indonesian media, we often come across differences in how the same stories are presented. Some media outlets even break journalistic ethics when
writing about events, and attack certain groups or individuals. The falseness of such news is often caused by the outlets’ interests, meaning that that particular outlet cannot
any longer be called ‘independent’. Some readers are capable of identifying mistakes, gaffes, and errors; the majority, however, are unable to do so, and end up being
influenced by the media’s own opinions, even though the media has been breaking codes of conduct. This situation is worsening thanks to a media oligopoly run by just a
handful of people, and leads to the marginalization of opinions.
This means we need to understand the principles of journalism. One group of principles has already become standard amongst journalists; they are known as the ten elements
of journalism. One of the best books for learning about this is Bill Kovach and Tom Rosentiel’s The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the
Public Should Expect. The elements of journalism discussed in this section originate from Kovach and Rosentiel’s book.
The summary of journalism’s most important elements was developed over three years by the Committee of Concerned Journalists, involving 1,200 journalists. The ten
elements identified by the Committee represent one set of elements – they cannot be
separated from one another, none can be prioritized over others, and they all must be followed by all journalists.
1. Truth
