Worldwide Politics and Journalism

LISTENING TO Matt Mogekwu, chair of Ithaca College's Department of Journalism, and Vadim Isakov, scholar-in-residence at the college, last night was a real wake-up call.

Mogekwu comes from Nigeria, and Isakov from Uzbekistan. Both worked as journalists in their native countries despite the nonexistence of a Freedom of Information Act. They lived in countries where they could ask the most fundamental of questions without getting a straight answer. Mogekwu gave an example. He could ask how many students attend Ithaca College, but he would be denied something so simple.

He said two-thirds of the rest of the world cannot get the information we in America take for granted. Because journalists cannot get the information they need, it's incredibly difficult to hold the government accountable for its actions and words.

Isakov discussed another side of the issue. In Uzbekistan, journalists who criticizes the government immediately put their own lives and the lives of those close to them at risk. He spoke of journalists he knew that had lost their lives in simply doing their jobs. He spoke of writing a story about a woman whose children had been brutally murdered. If he gave the identity of the source, she would have been killed. If not, Isakov would have put one of his loved ones at risk.

How does this relate to the 2008 U.S. election? It's simple. In America, we have incredible power as journalists. We can ask anyone anything we want. It's the power of American journalism, the ability to ask questions. We can hold the government accountable for its actions and policies without risking our own welfare. We can hold candidates for the presidency accountable in debates. But we don't. Instead, we present attack ads instead of analyzing them. We cover the horse race instead of the issues. We briefly mention policies or bury them without discussing them.

We take the power for granted and take the easy way out, choosing balance over accuracy, afraid we might offend somebody. Because of what? Because we might put our families in danger? No. Because of the possibility of hearing some flak from one campaign complaining about unfair coverage.

Let's stop catering to the campaigns and actually do a real service. We owe it to journalists in countries like Nigeria and Uzbekistan who would do anything for the freedoms we enjoy in the U.S. They can't come here because they can't afford it. So let's send a message. Let's be critical of our government so that other countries can do the same. It's time for change.