As the tension rose inside the senate building last night, May 13, multiple gunshots was heard. Armed men surrounded the second floor area, with the lights turned off—running away from the media. While many ran away from it, journalists stayed. Journalists sat in a place where danger is closer, reporting live news anxiously. But in that moment, it didn’t matter; because, what mattered most was to deliver the truth on-time.
People often associate journalists with vloggers. They both hold a camera, report live on people, and sometimes, influencers as well as travel to risky, remote areas. Yet dissimilarly, some do it for clout. They pretend that they are the “frontline” to gain an income. Done just to be praised by their fans who enjoy their content.
It is fulfilling to be a part of a Collaborative Desktop Publishing team for two consecutive years, not only for the fact that I am competing. It was the thrill of experiencing what I had seen on the televisions: many camera men surrounded the place, speakers were in front, and writers who took notes of the press conference to write up. Stampede occurred as campus journalists rushed in rivalry, in a packed and crowded place to ask questions that will form relevance in their articles.
It didn’t just hype me for the medals—it hyped me because I know this is how actual journalism is like as well in real life. Due to my experience, the standards of influencers are far from being similar to journalists. It is about the struggle, the hardships that are done that no clout chaser and a content creator can comprehend. Because, us journalists don’t just post content that feels “right.” Before news reports are presented, it goes through a thorough check of a team—just to bring reliable information to humanity.
However, viewers are often more drawn to catchy editing, thrilling background music, and powerful voices that make their statements sound “true” without the need of fact checking—hypnotizing viewers to view it as the truth. Hence, most people tend to trust influencers who’s centered in presentations, rather than contexts.
Journalism isn’t just a passion to make a living, it is a commitment. It is their lives that they risk; and no amount of income can save them from it. Last night’s frightening occurrence made my skin crawl. The shaky hands that hold the camera and the voices that are filled with worry may be evidently seen, they did not hesitate to stay where risk occurs.
The verified symbol beside a person’s name on an online account does not prove their credibility. So, the next time we view information online, editing skills should not just catch the attention of our eyes. Let us be responsible with the content we consume—learning how to check the data’s reliability. Vloggers? They’ll never be the frontline. Because, they won’t take risks just like we do.
