WEBVTT

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We experience many things firsthand. We 
know what happened because we were there.  

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Since it's not possible to see everything for 
ourselves we must rely on the reports of others.

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At professional news, organizations the job 
of creating these reports is done through a  

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process of journalism. Journalism is 
the practice of gathering, assessing,  

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and presenting news and information for print, 
broadcast or the internet. The job of a journalist  

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is to conduct research, check facts, and present 
accurate reports that explain issues and events.  

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Journalism can cover any topic from sports 
to entertainment to health to politics.

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Journalism produced by news organizations 
is especially important for democracy.  

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As citizens we rely on journalists 
to provide the information we need  

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to make the best possible decisions about our 
lives, our communities, and our governments.

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There are a number of important 
roles that journalism plays.

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Journalism helps inform people 
about the events and issues that  

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are important for society as a whole. 
It contributes to collective knowledge  

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and helps shape opinions about 
what is happening in the world.

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Journalism can also present different perspectives 
on issues and provide a forum for public debate.

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Journalists act as watchdogs by 
holding those with power to account.  

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They encourage honesty and transparency from 
government officials and other authority figures  

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by questioning their actions and 
decisions and by uncovering the truth.

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Finally, journalism can give people who lack power 
in society a voice by sharing the stories of those  

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who face different challenges journalists 
can help create empathy among the public.

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Journalism is essential for democracy 
because it shines a light into places  

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that may otherwise be dark and helps people 
to stay informed about issues that matter.