The Branches of Democratic Journalism

Recently, I interviewed a fellow classmate for an article assignment. I've noticed Karen Shainyan in some of my classes before having Editing (Jour 379) with him this fall and I thought I would use the article as an excuse to finally meet him.

Karen is a graduate student from Russia who is studying journalism on a fellowship. He is in his third semester studying at Ole Miss and in December, he is defending his thesis and going back to Russia.

During my interview with Karen, we began talking about the current state of Russia and how journalism is practiced there compared to America. He began telling me how all of the TV channels are very loyal to the government and the things the government wants to say. The only balanced and objective media outlets in Russia, he said, were the liberal newspapers. Sadly, these newspapers are only available to the highly educated elite class.

Writing this article and talking to Karen refreshed my memory to what a great country America really is. As a journalist, or training to be a journalist, we can say anything we want to within ethical standards. We do not have to deal with any type of censorship, but Karen says he has to deal with the worst kind, self-censorship.

Dr. Samir Husni, the chair of Ole Miss journalism department said that a foreigner once emailed him and asked him where he could apply for a license to start a publication. Dr. Husni proudly emailed him back with, "'My friend, in this country, you don't need a license. There is something called the First Amendment that gives you the right to publish whatever you want.' If [people] see nothing but those powerful 45 words that we refer to as the First Amendment, that even Congress of the United States, even the legislative arm of the country cannot do anything about and cannot touch, as we say here in the South, 'Ain't nothin' like it.'"

Dr. Husni also talked about the responsibility the journalism faculty has to educated students like Karen and how it is imperative that he be given the tools to effectuate change when he goes back home to Russia.

"The concept of freedom is definitely exportable,” Husni said. “The concept of balance and objectivity is definitely exportable. Just the mere fact that you package a newspaper, put it in a box and ship it overseas and say ‘do like this,’ that doesn’t work. Journalism is rooted in the community. They can look at all the branches that are reaching all over the world and learn from us, take some of our fruit, but they have to plant their own seeds.”