Journalism in Star Wars
Journalism is “the occupation of reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news or of conducting any news organization as a business.”
While seldom mentioned, journalism and journalists played a part in the Star Wars universe. Throughout the many years, news sources such as HoloNet, HoloNet News, Coruscant Journal, Journal of the Whills, Zygerrian News, and the Environmental Action Gazette existed. In addition, there were also underground newsletters and holo-reports. These news sources published articles periodically, some as often as daily, others weekly or monthly. In addition to public journals and news sources, thousands of personal journals were maintained by civilians, politicians, military personnel, Jedi, and Sith. Many of these private journals were used for information regarding individual’s history, political dealings, and plots against the Empire, etc.
Production & Distribution
In the Star Wars universe, information was recorded using several different types of technology and delivered in many different forms. Journalists used holorecorders to collect audio/visual data, including holographic, three-dimensional forms of both people and landscapes. Holorecorders were also able to playback the information, projecting the hologram instantly after recording. Holocams were used to collect images, which could be used to enhance articles and features. Comlinks are also used as a communication device between journalist, fitted with microphones and receivers to transmit audio from person to person, or to live interview and transmit a story in real time. In addition, journalists used traditional writing forms, using pens, parchment, and inkwell, or by writing virtual letters using complex hand movements. These written forms could be presented in several different languages such as Aurebesh, High Galactic, Outer Rim Basic, and Umbaran Alphabet.
After collecting and recording the information, the journalist would organize the facts into a cohesive story, telling the events as clearly as possible. These stories are then edited and sent out for distribution through the various sources. Some stories were broadcasted on the HoloNet, others were presented in periodicals, and all could be found within the archives.
Forms
Journalism came in many forms such as advocacy journalism, broadcast journalism, data journalism, citizen journalism, drone/holorecorder journalism, investigative journalism, photojournalism, and tabloid journalism. Freedom of the press existed until the Empires reign. In 14 BBY, the Empire took hold of the largest news sources in the universe, HoloNet News, and projected fake news and propaganda through the HoloNet. After the Battle of Endor, the New Republic, the successor government to the Rebel Alliance, abolished the Imperial restrictions and censorship on HoloNet. They also encouraged the creation of several HoloNet channels including the Queen of the Core Network to win over the galactic public.
Risks
On occasion, when reporting stories of war and turmoil, journalists suffered injuries or were killed in the line of duty. Other journalists were kidnapped and tortured for information from the opposing political parties.
Citizen Journalists & Personal Journals
Several sentient beings kept personal documentation of the events around them in order to record and preserve history. Examples of personal journals include; The Journals of Ben Kenobi, Journal of the 501st, Thrawn’s Journal, Maz Kantata’s Journal, Rebel Journal by Ezra Bridger etc.
See Also:
All sources linked directly within the article. More information about Star Wars may be found at Wookieepedia.
