Journalists have an obligation to provide information to the public, as well as a duty to explain why the given information matters. They are modern-day messengers and scribes. To an extent, journalists must put away their own opinions, beliefs, and feelings for the public good. In order to keep people informed and cognizant of the world around them, journalists can't let themselves get overwhelmed by the story, no matter how awful it may be. I personally believe that to become completely objective and unbiased is the worst thing a journalist can do, because if they can't feel, if they have no opinions or beliefs or values, they will be unable to connect with a story or their readers. Journalists have to remain humanized in order to know what stories are important, and to be able to convey the story in a way that will make the readers care.
I think that the most important job of a journalist, the aspect of the job that can really define the person as a journalist, is their duty to spread information, because the free flow of information is what creates a democracy. Without knowledge of the world, people cannot stand up for their rights. Information, words, are the most powerful weapons in the world, and journalists are the soldiers who wield them. Their influence has been felt worldwide: http://cpreview.org/2011/02/why-the-journalists-matter/
But of course, not all journalists are risking their lives in the war-torn Middle East. Plenty of journalists find themselves stuck at a small paper in a town where nothing interesting has ever happened. Ever. Still, these journalists go to work, observe the oddities and intricacies of the world around them, and try to share these fascinating tidbits with their people.
Finally, here's a humorous look at the various roles journalists play in society. This class taught me that journalists to have the chance to make a real difference in the world, but my interview with a journalist taught me that, really, the last picture is probably accurate.
