Journalists need global understanding

Globalisation has always been a two-edged sword; a bringer of exotic fruits as well as exotic pests. What Simon Cottle explores in his complex article ‘Taking global crises seriously: notes from the dark side of globalization” is how the modern era has seen the rapid rise of globalisation give birth to a global culture, and the entirely new problems were are now witnessing as a result of that inescapable trend. He discusses the severe lack of academic discussion regarding the nature of globalisation and how it affects and is affected by journalism.

What I found most interesting was Cottles early point that “global crises are far more than periodic, albeit geographically extensive, interruptions of social order; they are defining features of a ‘negatively globalized planet’ where all the most fundamental problems have become ‘globally originated and globally invigorated’ (Bauman, 2007: 25–26)” (2011:79). The older and I suppose more cynical I get, the more true it seems that the world is not a peaceful place that experiences moments of trauma, but rather is in a state of constant distress. The 24-hour news cycle serves only to highlight the endless list of unsolved problems and deadly conflicts, and as Cottle explains, now also directly influences crises as it reports on them.

I’d be in far over my head if I tried to discuss the finer points of Cottle’s analysis in this limited space. What I can say is that what this article demonstrates is the need for modern journalists to be well-read on the theoretical matter of both their trade and the issues they are reporting on. This may seem like a huge ask, but with the already-competitive media industry now also threatened by free blogs and citizen journalists, I can scarcely think of a better way for an upcoming journalist to distinguish themself than to have a comprehensive understanding of the industry they hope to influence.

In-text reference

Bauman, Z 2006, Liquid Times: Living in an Age of Uncertainty, published by Cambridge: Polity.

~ by harrisonvesey on May 21, 2012.