Access to Information and Government Intervention
Access to information is a necessary component of any civilization, and the accuracy of the information also contributes to its efficiency. The media’s major purpose is to inform the public about what is going on in the world, which is only feasible with government intervention. The government plays a vital role in deciding the amount of content that is exposed to the masses in many countries throughout the world, and it also serves as a defensive mechanism to keep intruders at bay. Many scholars point out that as much as the information been passed to the public should be filtered it is also wise to question the intentions of the government in their actions of concealing information. In this perspective, it is true to note that the media plays a central role in shaping the political landscape of a particular state. Depending on the degree the media exposes the secrets of the state or how it conceals them then it has a significant impact on the overall governance and at the end makes the nation susceptible to attacks by other countries. Therefore, this paper seeks to demonstrate ways in which crafty secrecy can be applied and its importance in maintaining and protecting the political landscape of any country.
The Media's Role in Shaping Foreign Policies
Seib is a professor of journalism who has diverse opinions on the way the media works to shape the state of the nation. Seib believes that the press works to develop and design the various regulations on the foreign policies. In this perspective, he supports his claims that the press, both print, and sound, can work to shape, amend or table policies which can be used in various countries. Additionally, he goes ahead to point out that basing on the interests of the media house then they can be involved in shaping political opinions, educating the masses and provide precise information to the elites. Seib’s excerpts also provide instances where the interference by the press in foreign matters influenced the outcome of the situations, and one of the examples which he cites is the Tent Offensive which happened in Vietnam in 1968 (Seib, 64). He points out that the functioning of the media is mainly dictated by the impatience of the masses, cohesiveness with the government requirements and the competition from other media houses. Additionally, in his writings, it is evident how he skillfully analyses both sides when tackling the information secrecy issues. He agrees with the fact that despite the diplomacy and the extended freedom of expression, information craftiness and secrecy is valuable and practical in today’s world.
Propaganda as a Defense Mechanism
Laswell in his excerpt correctly puts that the modern war can be fought on three fronts and one of the listed methods is the use of Propaganda. In his argument, he points out that propaganda is a very powerful tool when applied using the right avenues by the government. The propaganda channels can easily be propelled by the utilization of the media which will ensure the information will reach the masses as well as the potential enemies. The author of Wartime Propaganda Front goes ahead to note that, the modern war is a tactical one which should be fought intelligently for a nation to triumph. In his analysis of public journalism, Seib agrees to this fact and points out that issues dealing with national security are too dangerous to attempt as it may put the state and the people in jeopardy. The use of confusing propaganda by the government aims to combat terrorism and other international crimes which have a high possibility of taking place. Thus, basing on this in-depth check of the state of information secrecy by the media it is evident that this method can be used as a defense mechanism by the government to protect its subjects.
Unearthing Societal Ills through Investigative Journalism
Crafty secrecy by the journalist can be used as a valuable weapon in unearthing the various societal ills through investigative journalism. Despite the fact that investigative journalism requires a lot of input and is very expensive, it is significant in rooting out vices which may affect the operations in the community. Calabresi and Micheal in their critical analysis point out the ways through which investigative journalism can serve the interests of the citizens (Calabresi and Micheal, 244). Some of the extreme values which this type of secrecy journalism has are that it helps to safeguard the taxes from the working majority and also unleash the faces of corrupt leaders in any administrative post. One of the major investigative journalism uncovered the daunting task which affected both George Bush and Cheney on the issue of terrorism where a chief of staff was involved in obstructing an investigation. The media played a significant role in pushing the matter as most of them advocated for justice like any other terrorist would be handled. At this point, we can feel the presence of the media in pushing and reshaping of matters which affect national security. From this, we can point out in detail how the press played a role in reshaping the judicial system even though there was a fallout between the president and the vice president. In this case, the media pushes or advocates for justice for every individual as the laws of the land affect each person living in any state.
The Role of Policies in Safeguarding National Security
Policy enactment by the government also serves to promote crafty secrecy in any governable country. The enacted policies can be used to control how the media can pass the message to the masses. The systems will help to enhance the ease of movement of information from one individual to another. Patterson points out that America is one of the most democratic states in the world, but the level of information they share with other countries should be restricted so as to ensure they safeguard their borders. Citing an example from the recent Hillary Clinton emails, the issue brought a huge debate on the mode of coverage, the extent of coverage and how the overall findings by the media provide Russia with an upper hand over the security of America (Patterson, 205). Some of the laws which have been enacted are the media law and the anti-terrorism Act. In this case, we get a deeper perspective on how press policies are critical in safeguarding the troubles which are happening in a country thus avoiding foreign invasion and criticism. The enacted policies should not undermine the freedom of the press and their democratic right to express their views on important subject matters. Therefore, it is the mandate of the government to put up measures and strategies which can guide the extent to which the media can handle information at their disposal and also highlight the consequences when the laws are breached. All these statements seek to support Seib Philips’ perspectives on sound journalism.
Crafty Secrecy in Professional Journalism
Crafty secrecy is a significant element when it is applied to professional journalism. The use of this mode of reporting tends to bring the real issues to light and the weaknesses that a state faces in addressing foreign policy. One significant merit of crafty secrecy is that it helps keep the government in check and address the challenges which face the subjects of a particular nation. Additionally, sly secrecy also helps unearth loopholes which intruders can use to paralyze the operations of a particular state. The sentiments can be backed up by the case of the of Hillary Clinton email addresses which were leaked. In this case, Seib Philips concludes that crafty secrecy in reporting is an important weapon especially when it comes to issues dealing with foreign affairs.
The Significance of Crafty Secrecy in Journalism
In conclusion, it is evident that crafty secrecy is a vital part of any journalism activity. This type of journalism helps to educate and emancipate the masses on issues which are affecting the state of foreign affairs. In this case, instances of terrorism and increased levels of corruption can be tackled easily with the available evidence. In Paul’s analysis of the media under the reign of President Barrack Obama, a lot has been exposed in the press, and this has been able a significant step in increasing the level of diplomacy and also breed foreign relations. Therefore, it goes without mention that I support the existence of crafty and secrecy journalism and applaud its merit in any state.
Works cited
Calabresi, Massimo, and Michael Weisskopf. The Final Days: A Time Investigation Reveals the Dispute That Split George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. , 2009. Print.
Laswell, James J. Mobilizing the Home Front: War Bonds and Domestic Propaganda. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2006. Print.
Patterson, Thomas E. The American Democracy. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print.
Seib, Philip. Future of Diplomacy. Polity Press, 2016. Print.
Street, Paul L. Barrack Obama and the Future of American Politics. , 2016. Internet resource.
