In reading Mr. Sawa's responses to our questions, many of you were deeply impressed by two issues in particular: that of bias and that of anonymity in Japan.
"Every single choice in newsgathering and news editing is subjective."
As Fukumi put it: "I was surprised Mr. Sawa said he didn't blame bias in journalism. I usually think bias is not a good thing. However, I was convinved it exactly provides wider perspective and choice because people have their own gauge of importance of news."
Rika mentioned that the quesion of which news makes the top page made her think about the issue of bias.
For Takemasa, the confirmation that news comes to us filtered by journalists and editors made him think about the importance of "the skill to realize or notice whether the news you're reading is true or partly true or false. This is kind of similar to 'critical thinking'."
"I am afraid people here value too highly leaving people alone, perhaps not thinking seriously that it means letting things be done by somebody else, perhaps authorities, whom you perhaps assume are trustworthy. I doubt that it is democracy."
This statement deeply impressed you. Takemasa mentioned that he still associates showing a complete profile online with risk and danger. Fukumi said that she hadn't thought of this tendency as a fault, but as a "Japanese characteristic." Rika noted, "I never realized [that Japanese news were more anonymous] since I only know the news style in Japan."
Fukumi seemed persuaded by Mr. Sawa: "I can understand journalism makes the world visible and provides crucial things for democracy, so I think we should be more sensitive to what happens in the world and speak out our opinions little by little." But Takemasa wanted more details on the link between speaking out and democracy.
On the fact that Mr. Sawa began reading the news for fun as a child, Takemasa ventured that we should try to approach reading the news not as study but out of the love for it, as if it was a hobby.
Some of you still had some questions. Wataru wondered when it was that Mr. Sawa began to think of the news as "the first rough draft of history," and how it was possible to get information from so many different angles and yet to remain impartial.
It is obvious that you enjoyed the thoughts that Mr. Sawa shared. As Rika put it, "thank you so much for answering our questions and sharing your impressive stories."
I was impressed by classmate's thinking . I want to think as them.
ReplyDeleteThank you for summary.
I admired classmate's point of view.
ReplyDeleteI thought that I had to think more deeply.
Thank you for sharing ideas.
In the latest class, professor Schieder mentioned that human beings can't become completely objective. I was thinking about this and thought that I have to become God to enable it, so the point is that we have to definetely treat the news article which has some kind of bias included. Therefore, as I mentioned above, we have to gain the ability to fight with these bias. By the way, bias isn't all ways bad. What makes the situation worse is the reader that doesn't think, but just accept the contents of the news as totally true thing.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
I deeply understand what journalism is from Mr. Sawa’s responses. And I also learn a lot from classmate’s thoughts. One interesting thing is I always think Japanese news are ‘less’ anonymous than Korean news. Through this point, I learn this: Different culture has different news style.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
His coments was really useful to think about what the journalist is and how they see the world though their journalist eyes. i want to think well about what is a true journalism and i want to watch news carefully though his point of view.
ReplyDeleteAnd also, my classmate think well about this coments or any other problem, so i have to study and watch the news well, then discuss constractively to these issue, i feel.