I said I wasn't going to...
It's a shame that we, as journalists, are sometimes not entitled to our own opinions. I'm not going to get into it, but I'll just say this...I am sure you have noticed there is one less post on our blog and that's because of insecure journalists who think if you don't talk about a negative subject, it will somehow just go away.
And since certain people can't speak about the topic, I'll air it out.
I'm glad the two reporters got fired. Honestly, I hope I never see another byline of theirs in the paper ever again. In order for journalists to start gaining back the trust and respect of readers, editors are going to have to crack down on the reporters who take the easy way out. I am sure everyone hates doing man on the street work but how lazy do you have to be to steal from someone's Facebook profile. Not only did they let their former college and college newspaper down, they let down each and everyone of us who wan't to do this for a living. It's one more hurdle we all have to overcome.
And since certain people can't speak about the topic, I'll air it out.
I'm glad the two reporters got fired. Honestly, I hope I never see another byline of theirs in the paper ever again. In order for journalists to start gaining back the trust and respect of readers, editors are going to have to crack down on the reporters who take the easy way out. I am sure everyone hates doing man on the street work but how lazy do you have to be to steal from someone's Facebook profile. Not only did they let their former college and college newspaper down, they let down each and everyone of us who wan't to do this for a living. It's one more hurdle we all have to overcome.
posted by Vandy at 1:14 AM
6 Comments:
What do you mean by this:
" ... that's because of insecure journalists who think if you don't talk about a negative subject, it will somehow just go away."
I think there's a big difference between talk and "commentary." Blogging, numerous owners of common sense will tell you, is not simply "talk." Talk is shooting the breeze in the lunch room. Blogging, bloggers (esp. when they claim they're "journalists") are game. What is published here is, many times, viewed as if you wrote a column for a newspaper. It's published, in print, and, contrary to my original belief, is available to the public for ANYONE's viewing. I don't blame anyone for not pouring their opinions onto a blog.
I disagree.
The difference between writing an article and writing a blog entry is that you're writing for an institution when you write an article. When you make a blog entry, that means you're an independent agent.
When you write something on your personal Web site, you are no longer working in the capacity of a reporter. You are an individual making a journal entry. Unless you make the next step to declare that your Web page is a source for news "commentary," whatever you write in your blog has nothing to do with your capacity as a reporter.
Journalists are professionals who must set aside their personal agendas and beliefs when they write an article. Just like lawyers and doctors and any other profession. Why should journalists be penalized by the fact that they happen to make a living through writing?
what is it with you and the whole blogging thing that you are so worried about? i see you deleted your first post in june about this subject for whatever reason...
i can't see how you think what you write on a DJNF blog is viewed the same way as a column you write in the paper...the differece being the big ol masshead that is slapped on the front of the paper.
It is avaiable to the public, but if your smart enough, your name or your blog won't come up on google or any other search engines. But you don't seem like the risk taking type...
"It is avaiable to the public, but if your smart enough, your name or your blog won't come up on google or any other search engines"
That goes against all of my journalistic and personal principles. I don't want to be dishonest or discreet or anonymous. Yes -- I deleted all of my posts, not because I'm ashamed of anything or feel like someone could use it against me, but because I have made the decision not to blog. I won't delete my posts, though, because I am enjoying this discussion and see nothing wrong in responding to someone else's post.
I'm not anti-blog. I love reading them. They're becoming important/relevant cogs in the news gathering process. They should be integrated into more newsrooms -- they're faster, more welcoming and college students love them.
But the more I think about blogging, the more I realize there's too many booby traps to clear. If I have to "Google proof" myself, that's just obnoxious. Do I think reporters/journalists should be able to air or vent their opinions like everyone else? Yes. But then, if you're smart, you won't talk about your job or your co-workers because it's not in good taste and, practically, it could get you fired. You also wouldn't talk about any of the companies you cover, because that opens an ugly can of worms. And, really, do you want to tell the entire world -- and your sources or bosses or colleagues -- all the privy details of your life? I don't. That's reserved for my family and close friends, in phone calls, personal e-mails or in conversation. I can't justify sharing all of that in such a public forum.
So what does that leave as blogg-able? Very calculated, very sterile, very boring stuff. And I don't want to write about that. "I ate a hamburger today."
That said, I would, given the right circumstances, write for a news blog. It's important to distinguish between a personal blog and a news blog. I'm aiming most of my skepticism to personal blogs that have no news value. I love news blogs, especially ones from sports writers.
And as for this comment: "But you don't seem like the risk taking type..."
I take risks. I speed past intersections when the traffic light turns yellow. I swim only 10 minutes after dinner. I eat day-old Chinese food and pizza all the time. But why toy with "risk taking" when the temptress is Xanga or Blogger?
Risk, to me, is grabbing your pen and pad and racing to an emergency scene; it's reporting from Iraq; it's Deep Throat. But that's just my personal opinion. I'll respect (and read) yours and everyone else's.
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A friend just showed me this neat website full of office joke
I cant believe the quantity an quality of humerous office joke it contains
Heres one of the jokes i found on it:
Bob brought some friends home to his apartment one night after they had been out painting the town. One friend noticed a big brass gong in Bobs bedroom and asked about it."Thats not a gong" Bob replied "thats a talking clock. Watch this!"
Bob struck the gong and sure enough a voice on the other side of the wall screamed "Hey your jerk its 3 o'clock in the morning!"
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