As a kid, I watched a lot of superhero movies. I have my four older brothers to thank for this because they’re the ones who introduced me to Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Captain America (to name just a few).

    Until recently, I never realized how much I had in common with a couple of these heroes. Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego, lived in the booming city of Metropolis and worked at the Daily Planet as a reporter. The Daily Bugle, a tabloid New York newspaper, hired Peter Parker, whose second job was roaming the streets as Spider-Man.

    Although I am no superhero, I am a journalist. I joined my high school newspaper as a sophomore because I like to write. I enjoy telling people’s stories. That’s how simple it was to me. This is now my third year on staff, and I am happy to say that my career in journalism will not end when I graduate high school.

    So why journalism? Why couldn’t Superman have chosen to be an engineer? Why didn’t Spider-Man pursue math? Both of these heroes were chosen as writers and reporters for a reason. Yes, a press pass gave them a reason to always be present at crime scenes, but their role as a journalist extended further than crime watch. A job as a journalist was seen as an extension of their heroic responsibilities: bringing truth to the battlefront, and fighting for the little guy.

    I have a feeling that if Superman lived in America today, he would be alarmed to return to the Daily Planet. American journalists were once trusted to be powerfully honest and to speak on the behalf of the entire population, but that trust has been betrayed. It seems that journalists no longer chase and report the news, but instead spew bias on every debatable topic. Both the individual journalists and the news platforms they operate from are to blame. Certain news stations — take MSNBC for example — openly operate from a Democratic and liberal viewpoint. It is now up to the public to analyze the information they receive from the press. While some news platforms are busy fighting each other, care and consideration for truth is thrown out the window and the fight for justice is no longer prioritized.

    Perhaps Clark Kent and Peter Parker lived in simpler times, when all breaking news came from a newspaper stand on the street.

    In the twenty-first century, the American public has the privilege of receiving their news from a range of multimedia sources. Newspapers, television stations, radios and magazines all use their respective platform to inform their audiences of current events. The majority of stations and publications have online sites, which allows their audiences to be reached at any time of the day. Many people also receive their news from social media, which often combines personal opinion with day-to-day happenings. Individuals now have the power to choose who they hear their news from. This means that two people can hear the same story from separate sources and walk away with completely different takeaways.

    It seems that the advancements of our technological age has done more harm to the integrity of journalism than good. The ability to immediately release news to a large audience overshadows the purpose that journalism once held. Instead of digging deep to find the roots of a story, information is often rushed, sloppy and opinionated. Quantity and speed has defeated quality.

    A percentage of the public has a negative opinion of the press. When I tell people I plan on studying journalism in college, they are quick to warn me about entering a career field that is accelerating downhill. But that’s exactly why I want to be a journalist. The world needs more honest reporters. If I ignore my calling into the journalism field, I have nobody to blame but myself for the negative stigma of the press.

    I will not be a politician. I will be a reporter and a writer. I will continue doing what made me fall in love with journalism in the first place: digging deep, and telling stories.

    Superman told the truth and fought for everybody. I plan on doing the same.