Journalists as Professionals

Wehrwolfen

Senior Member
May 22, 2012
2,750
340
48
Journalists as Professionals​


Matthew May
October 17, 2012

[snip]

Let us benevolently stipulate that journalism is a profession.

Is there any other profession that requires such a low level of skill to enter? Journalists fancy themselves the equal of doctors, lawyers, and chief executives. This is evidenced by the multiplicity of journalism graduate schools and the importance that students, graduates, and faculty of those schools place on their ability to train future journalists. The implication is that one must go through the "rigor" of such programs to come out at the other end a certified professional journalist.

The degree of difficulty of any profession should be measured by how challenging it would be for a dilettante to come in and do the job. Could the average journalist walk into a hospital and perform surgery? Could the average journalist walk into a courtroom and prosecute a case? Could the average journalist walk into a design studio and turn out a brand new car model? No, no, no. But it is not much of a stretch to think that most anyone in those professions could turn out decent journalism and, in fact, better than what passes for journalism in this country.

The fundamental principles of journalism can be learned and honed by the average high school sophomore. The basics are simple. Find out and relay the who, what, when, and why of a story. Write a lead (or lede, if you prefer) that captures the essence of the story and the attention of the reader. Quote and attribute exactly. Get multiple sources for any claims or assertions. Use a telephone. Use a recorder. Dig. Question and be skeptical of all sides. Turn the story in on time. And never insert oneself and one's biases into that story.

Last night's debate was merely the most recent iteration of the American press corps inserting themselves into a story and defining the story's narrative -- the deification, perpetuation of the myth, and rooting interest in the political success of Barack Obama. AT's Nidra Poller adroitly sums up the grotesque performance of CNN's Candy Crowley in attempting to shut down Mitt Romney so that her candidate could spin his fairy tales, despite Crowley's too-late admission that Romney was "right in the main." But the damage had been done, the latest transaction between client and service provider completed. Most anyone not "trained" as a professional journalist yet interested in the truth would have been able to do a better job.




Read more:
Blog: Journalists as Professionals
 
Why would last night be any different than the last 6 years? They've defined the Obama narrative ever since he's come onto the political scene. What they don't want you to know, they don't report, they don't ask, or they bury it. Not only that, they set the tone for what is acceptable and what is not all throughout our culture. If we had a truly unbiased press that did their job as journalist professionals should, Obama would have never been voted in to begin with.
 
Journalists as Professionals​


Matthew May
October 17, 2012

[snip]

Let us benevolently stipulate that journalism is a profession.

Is there any other profession that requires such a low level of skill to enter? Journalists fancy themselves the equal of doctors, lawyers, and chief executives. This is evidenced by the multiplicity of journalism graduate schools and the importance that students, graduates, and faculty of those schools place on their ability to train future journalists. The implication is that one must go through the "rigor" of such programs to come out at the other end a certified professional journalist.

The degree of difficulty of any profession should be measured by how challenging it would be for a dilettante to come in and do the job. Could the average journalist walk into a hospital and perform surgery? Could the average journalist walk into a courtroom and prosecute a case? Could the average journalist walk into a design studio and turn out a brand new car model? No, no, no. But it is not much of a stretch to think that most anyone in those professions could turn out decent journalism and, in fact, better than what passes for journalism in this country.

The fundamental principles of journalism can be learned and honed by the average high school sophomore. The basics are simple. Find out and relay the who, what, when, and why of a story. Write a lead (or lede, if you prefer) that captures the essence of the story and the attention of the reader. Quote and attribute exactly. Get multiple sources for any claims or assertions. Use a telephone. Use a recorder. Dig. Question and be skeptical of all sides. Turn the story in on time. And never insert oneself and one's biases into that story.

Last night's debate was merely the most recent iteration of the American press corps inserting themselves into a story and defining the story's narrative -- the deification, perpetuation of the myth, and rooting interest in the political success of Barack Obama. AT's Nidra Poller adroitly sums up the grotesque performance of CNN's Candy Crowley in attempting to shut down Mitt Romney so that her candidate could spin his fairy tales, despite Crowley's too-late admission that Romney was "right in the main." But the damage had been done, the latest transaction between client and service provider completed. Most anyone not "trained" as a professional journalist yet interested in the truth would have been able to do a better job.




Read more:
Blog: Journalists as Professionals

This is from a 'blog'.

End of thread.
 
Crowley picked the questions & knew Romney would attack, so she was ready to help her buddy 'Bengahzi Barry' out.
 
Why would last night be any different than the last 6 years? They've defined the Obama narrative ever since he's come onto the political scene. What they don't want you to know, they don't report, they don't ask, or they bury it. Not only that, they set the tone for what is acceptable and what is not all throughout our culture. If we had a truly unbiased press that did their job as journalist professionals should, Obama would have never been voted in to begin with.

As far as I'm concerned, you are preaching to the choir. However, the Left believes that the bias of the press is good. Like all Lemmings they eat up the propaganda lies with a spoon. Bernays and Goebbels would be proud of the so called "Journalism Professionals" today.
 
Journalists and reporters havin' a rough time of it...
:eek:
UN Monitor Cites Human Rights Abuses of Journalists, Lawyers in Iran
October 24, 2012 — The United Nations expert charged with monitoring the human rights situation in Iran warns that there are “alarming trends” in the country’s human rights situation, including the prosecution of human rights defenders and lawyers, executions in the absence of fair trials, and the detention of journalists and Internet commentators.
U.N. Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed says in his third report to the U.N. General Assembly that the overall human rights situation in Iran is “deeply troubling.” The country has one of the highest execution rates in the world, often for crimes, such as drug offenses, which are not considered to be among the most serious and deserving of capital punishment under international standards. Just this week, Tehran announced that 10 more persons were executed for alleged drug crimes. Minors also have been subject to the death penalty.

At a news conference Wednesday, Shaheed reported figures indicating that journalists and lawyers are among Iran’s most persecuted professionals. “On the whole the human rights situation in the country still remains disturbing. For example, Iran currently detains one of the highest numbers of journalists anywhere in the world, with over 40 still in prison,” Shaheed said. Shaheed's report says at least 19 journalists were arrested between January and May of this year, 10 of whom have since been released. He says prison conditions for reporters are poor and often include periods in solitary confinement.

Shaheed says other journalists have been subjected to constant surveillance, along with the threat of arrest and detention of family members, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Citizen journalists and Internet commentators also have been detained under laws that regulate Internet content and activities and require Internet cafés to document and store information about users and their online histories for at least six months. “New Cyber Crimes and Cyber Café laws seek to limit freedom of expression and the right to information and have apparently been employed to prosecute those who use media to criticize the government. Nineteen “Netizens” are reportedly detained, four of whom are sentenced to death,” Shaheed said.

More UN Monitor Cites Human Rights Abuses of Journalists, Lawyers in Iran

See also:

Number of murdered Somali reporters grows to 16
Oct 24,`12 -- The list of murdered Somali journalists keeps growing longer, and no one seems able to stop it.
The death of Ahmed Saakin Farah brought the number to 16 Somali journalists killed this year, most in targeted attacks by gunmen who know there is little chance they will be caught or jailed. Assailants shot Farah, a 25-year- old reporter for the London-based Universal TV, three times in the head around 9 p.m. Tuesday in the northern region of Somaliland. "It's a shocking murder, and part of the anti-media campaign," Abdullahi Ahmed Nor, a fellow journalist, said Wednesday. "It was a big loss for us, his friends and family."

Somalia has been one of the most dangerous places to operate as a journalist this year. The irony for journalists is that Mogadishu, on the whole, is far safer than it was when the Islamist extremists, al-Shabab, controlled most of the city from 2007-2011. African Union troops forced al-Shabab out in August 2011, leading to less violence and a general revival of business, the arts and sports. But a campaign targeting journalists has accelerated this year, and one sad fact seems likely to be fueling the murders: No suspects have been arrested for any of the crimes. Most of the killings have taken place in Mogadishu, but the latest murder, in the northern, semi-independent territory of Somaliland, could be a sign that the scourge of media deaths is spreading.

Killings of journalists during the Mogadishu conflict years was most certainly carried out by al-Shabab in retaliation for stories the group saw as negative, said Tom Rhodes, of the Committee to Protect Journalists. But since 2012, the list of potential killers has come to include business leaders and politicians, he said. "Everyone knows in Somalia that you can kill a journalist and there will be no repercussions," he said, adding: "The other problem is that some of the perpetrators of these murders may very well be those in authority so they can hide behind their positions."

Though Mogadishu is safer than in years past, and though the government is slowly gaining some strength, the time that a skilled police force and competent judicial system are in operation is far off. The media landscape is blooming, but the killings make clear that some sectors of Somali society do not want a free media. The international community has increased its calls for government officials to stop the attacks and to punish those responsible for previous killings, but no progress has been made.

MORE
 

New Topics

Forum List

Back
Top