The simple question that should end up putting many journalists in trouble

Many people still speak of journalism as the "fourth power," that is, as a profession dedicated to monitoring the powerful.

The 'kapos' of leftist journalism and the reason why they betray their colleagues
Pedro Sanchez's 'Gag Plan' imitates Franco's and Putin's measures to control the media

Certainly, there are still good journalists, but unfortunately, this profession is suffering from an increasing dependence on political power, which is the most dangerous form of power in a democracy, because it has the greatest capacity to coerce all citizens. The challenge of facing this power is what really puts journalism to the test.

In the face of this power, there are journalists who do their duty and are critical and annoying, investigating, publishing and denouncing what the rulers do wrong. On the contrary, there are journalists who act as simple buffoons of this power, supporting everything it does, even the most abusive, and focusing their work on attacking those who disagree with the government, including other journalists.

All governments eventually fall. Every time the time comes for them to fall, all journalists should face a simple question that should end up putting many of them in a bind. It is the following:

How many times have you published things that are really uncomfortable for those who govern where you work as a journalist?

It doesn't matter if we're talking about journalists covering national, regional or local news. There is always a political power before which the journalist must choose between fulfilling his duty to supervise the actions of the rulers and being uncomfortable, or behaving as a mere lackey at the service of those rulers. That question should make many journalists feel ashamed... if they had any. Because to do what some are doing, you have to have little or no shame.

---

Photo: @felipepelaquim.