James Roland Jones talks about the Duties of Journalists

James Roland Jones says all journalist’s rights and duties stem from a publics right to information. A journalist is obligated to tell the truth, not because they are naturally impartial, but because they support the importance of objective verification. A journalist has the responsibility of reporting the information to the audience in a way that is not biased, that is based on facts, that his viewers can believe. Journalists obtain the information from sources and present it in a manner that will tell the public a story. 

Journalists do interviews, research sources, and gather together all of the information needed to craft an accurate news story. Some journalists may be employed by larger news organizations as full-time employees, or they work as freelance writers, writing stories for whoever will pay them. Many veteran reporters freelance in print, broadcast, and online journalism. Both radio and television provide opportunities for off-screen newspaper reporters to serve as researchers, writers, and production assistants in either the newsroom or editing aspects of the program. 

After reporters thoroughly investigate a topic, they use what they discover to write a story or produce a segment for radio, TV, or online. James Roland Jones added Photojournalists can work alongside reporters covering events, taking photos to illustrate written stories, or attending news events themselves, doing both jobs. Journalists spend most of their time interviewing knowledgeable sources, researching public records and other sources to obtain information, and sometimes visiting a crime scene or other newsworthy occurrence.