Who are the gatekeepers of news? How effective is investigative reporting in informing the public?

            Gatekeepers are the people who determine what news stories should be told and which ones do not make the cut.  Because there is not enough space in a newspaper, or time in a broadcast, gatekeepers must choose which stories are the most important.  The role of the gatekeepers is significant because they ultimately decide what will be publicized and how in depth it will be.  The gate keepers of the news are the journalists, editors, directors, and reporters.  The director overlooks all the news that is reported and editors revise journalists’ stories.  The reporter has an important job because he or she has the responsibility for dictating the story to the public, whether it is good or bad, the reporter must be unbiased and factually correct.  Gatekeepers are the ones who decide what is newsworthy and should be told to the public; they take into consideration the audiences’ potential reactions as well as the impact a story may have on society.  Gatekeepers work hard to satisfy the public’s needs because society depends on them to be truthful and confident in their news stories.

            Investigative reporting is effective in informing the public because they give an inside look at the story.  Investigative reporters thoroughly research a topic until they can provide their readers with full details; this leads to trust between the reporters and the audience because people trust an investigative reporter to deliver the complete news story.  Investigative reporting is important because it provides a better understanding of what is actually happening, instead of a brief description of each story.