The current issues regarding how a mid-aged woman feels humiliated due to the pictures and video circulating all over the media and how preferences are given to the high profiled person’s safety when a little child dies in the same accident proves that reporters and media are being irresponsible and unfair these days. Two different versions of the same story, twisted and turned in different newspapers has always added more confusion and decreased reliability among the readers. These sorts of reporting blunders can often be the reason of defame of popular media houses and simultaneously lead to dire consequences. So, what actually is it to be a responsible news reporter?

I questioned myself about what is it for me to be a reporter? Well the answer was, “Voice out opinions regarding human rights, women rights or against any injustice prevalent in the society and bring limelight to the issues that have been in shade. And also to get indulged into own imagination and come up with something quirky, funny and sarcastic.” But is this all about being a reporter? No, not at all! It’s just a little part of what being a reporter is but not exactly being a news reporter.

Well, being a reporter is a very challenging yet exciting job at the same time. What you’ve got to do is challenge your own guts to fight for the truth and keep up to the expectations to interest the readers; however, at the same time, it’s equally your responsibility that you deliver truth. The wrong interpretation or manipulation of a story may lead to awful consequences. It’s evident to all of us that we all have been witnessing several suicides and humiliation faced by people due to the over manipulation of a story. There are cases where an individual gets continuously disgraced for the crime he/she hasn’t committed and the real culprit escapes in the shade of the innocent ones. This is actually where the news reporting fail very often and it might be accidental, influential or intentional.

The first and foremost duty and responsibility of the news reporter is to deliver truth to public at any cost with no biased opinions and favoritism. A reporter should not get corrupted under the influences of money or threats and should always raise voice against such issues. They must struggle for accuracy and neutrality and be sure to cover both sides of any belligerent issue. No any stories should be made up on their own assumptions and be fact-less. Reporters should seek for facts and report them quoting the sources and people who gave their opinions. A lot of viewers and people rely on the information published on the newspapers and television channels, so the blunders should be avoided as far as possible.

The truth isn’t always crystal clear and sometimes the mistakes might occur but it’s the responsibility of a real reporter to accept one’s mistake and correct them. And it isn’t always important to cover the limelight issues and grab the attention; sometimes being bizarre and creating something unusual might as well garb attention of the readers. In order to enhance the accuracy and reliability of any news reporter and media house, the growth of the news reporter and media house is also equally important. A reporter should grow gradually as a person, reporting should inspire and encourage him/her and so is the case for media houses. Good media houses should be better than it was yesterday. And most importantly, “Stories needn’t be big and eye catching. No one knows what story may change your fate and how.  All you need is to be true to yourself and your job”.

Ask yourself, are you really following all these as to be a responsible news reporter? If not, hold your sleeves up, tighten your laces and get your job done responsibly. Stop making baseless assumptions, instead seek for facts and serve as a responsible reporter.

Happy Reporting! Cheers to all the responsible news reporters! :) :)