Earl Caldwell’s influence on media and politics

As a Corporate Communications major, this assignment is particularly interesting to me because I have prior knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. I was glad to begin researching some of the influential African-American journalists from the Civil Rights era and learn some new (to me) yet crucial information on the topic. One journalist who I found intriguing was Earl Caldwell.

Caldwell was a journalist who followed and documented the Black Panthers in the 1970s. Getting involved in this situation soon gained the attention of the FBI. The FBI ultimately decided to approach Caldwell seeking information against the Black Panthers. This soon landed the curious journalist in a major Supreme Court decision dealing with the rights of reporters. The court ended up ruling against Caldwell, but the case later helped develop shield laws which have been put into effect allowing reporters to protect sources and information. Although Caldwell did not win his particular case in the Supreme Court, he helped prove why shield laws should and later would be implemented into society. Caldwell was and continues to be a great reporter and journalist. He has worked hard to uncover information and disseminate it to the general population.

Journalists play an integral role in a democracy by gathering newsworthy information and allowing the public to learn and formulate opinions. The media and politics are like Siamese twins, you simply cannot have one without the other. This has been true for a long time and has only been strengthened of late. New technology has acted as a catalyst to the growing relationship between media and politics. The mass media reaches a large audience and communicates messages in regard to politics everyday. Having such a strong bond benefits a democratic nation by staying true to what the country believes in, which is having a choice along with a voice.

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