The need to be informed is a strong human trait, one that provides a foundation for the practice of journalism. For centuries, individuals have engaged in compiling and distributing news and information in an effort to keep others up-to-date and aware of the world around them.
People rely on news to help them make their way through their daily lives. They use information to make decisions that affect their jobs, their personal lives, their well-being, and their relationships with others. This same news provides them with information about the societies they live in, as well as the bodies and organizations governing these societies. As Jay Black explains, “information helps ensure informed consent.”1
