In the United States, media organizations bear great power and responsibility for informing audiences, influencing publics, and preserving a democratic system of government. These are high public trusts, and they are upheld primarily through the writing that media professionals do. If you choose a career in any media sector (journalism, public relations, or advertising, for example), you will quickly find that strong writing skills are required for any type of position. In the media, skilled writing is a craft that not only is appreciated, but demanded by employers and audiences alike.
Those who develop strong writing skills will rise to the top of their profession, whether it means a seat at the editor’s desk, a place at the corporation’s management table, or in an executive slot at a public relations or advertising agency.Writing for the media is demanding work. Media professionals define themselves as professionals through their commitment to writing excellence. They value their own writing skills and those of their colleagues. They rely on each other’s expertise to work effectively under heavy deadline pressure. Employees who write poorly or place little value on good writing will not succeed.If writing for the media is such a challenge, then why do so many people love to do it? Tough as it is, media writing is a fun and highly rewarding enterprise. In it, you gain the opportunity to engage diverse audiences, to influence them, and to play a key role in the marketplace of ideas that we enjoy in a democratic society.
Equally important, the media serve as the watchdogs of government, providing information and ideas that citizens need in order to understand significant issues and make important decisions for themselves. As a media professional, you bear ultimate responsibility for being honest, accurate, and fair in all that you write. You also must provide models of good writing for others to understand and emulate.