Commentary: Keeping best practices in journalism alive

Public regard for journalists or self-acclaimed journalists has not improved in the past few years. Newspaper readership continues to decline even as cable television, the Internet, and even pirated DVDs are offering a disgruntled public other information and entertainment options besides television or radio. The media get their much-needed shot in the arm whenever there are disasters or crisis situations in any part of the world. Suddenly, there is a sharp rise in news consumption as the public’s appetite for information reaches abnormal proportions. Even for just a few hours or even days, the media get to feel good about being relevant and needed again. And depending on how well they do their jobs, public contempt either worsens or diminishes.