The last words of a journalist: that’s not my job
October 29, 2007 in hope for the future
Meranda Watling posted a comment on an earlier post that I wanted to highlight: #
I’ve heard peers say they didn’t get into journalism to blog, to take pictures, to come up with multimedia, to do whatever. They want to write. The other stuff “isn’t that someone else’s job?” or today, another reporter (23-yo recent grad) commented, “why don’t they just hire TV reporter to do the video?” *sigh* Me? I want to hand them a white towel and tell them to surrender now and get out before they get left behind. #I have a confession to make: I was one of those kids. When I was in college – John Tisdale at TCU can attest – I didn’t learn photography because “I want to be a writer.” I focused on editing, writing and gathering information. I neglected the business aspects of the news media. I diligently sent photo requests to the photo department in my first job. #
But after I got out of college, I spent time working at a small-town newspaper, where I had to learn how to lay out pages using QuarkXpress. I learned how to take and develop photographs in a darkroom (back when we had to use film). I delivered the papers and collected the change from the racks, and drove the pages to the printer in another town 40 minutes away. #
I didn’t do this because I was some kind of “new media guy,” but because it kept me employed. It paid the bills, and made the paper successful. I learned a valuable lesson then – the most versatile journalist has the most job security. It’s served me well over the ensuing years. When the FW Star-Telegram special sections manager wanted volunteers to learn HTML, I was the only one who signed up. When photography was transitioning from film to digital, I was learning all I could. When they needed someone to run the offset press during grad school, I raised my hand. #
A wise professor in my Ph.D. program once remarked that the last words he wanted to hear out of an employee was “that’s not my job.” I think that’s the right mindset for journalists in the 21st century. It is your job, damnit. Stop acting like a prima donna. If you’re going to be part of the solution to the challenges facing journalism, then you’re going to have to learn to do some “extra” things. Is that going to suck at times? Sure. But you can either buck up and help save journalism or you can whine and join the ranks of the unemployed. #
Print (or broadcast, for that matter) isn’t always the best way to tell a story. And that’s what it all boils down to: telling stories. #
All good and well, but when you are already working, say, 50-60 hour weeks, the idea of expanding one's areas of responsibility is none too appealing. I agree in principle with what you are saying but we have to rely on those at senior management level having the same vision and properly staffing their company to ensure that already overworked reporters do not turn into cynical, embittered ex-reporters…..er, like moi!
The worst is when I hear college kids saying that kind of stuff. When I was at the ONA conference, I talked with a few recruiters who were scouting for prospects, and I talked to some prospects as well. The general consensus is the people hiring expect new hires to have a willingness to learn new things. And the people who aren't willing to learn and already have jobs – they're getting bought out.
Is it more work? maybe? But people can probably work smarter than harder. Is it that much work to slap up your notes or the cut quotes from a story? What about explaining how you got the story. Even that type of information is big time appreciated by blog readers.
with the job market slimming for journalism and the competition rising, reporters should be sure they love what they're doing – and that means doing things differently.
Your post caused me to formulate a question that sums up some of this sturm und drang in the journalism field:
Did you get into this because you wanted to write — or because you wanted to tell stories?
If all you want to do is write — why don't you go get a job at a catalog company? You could write descriptions of, say, puffy down jackets and cute purses. Or camping equipment.
But if you want to tell stories … well, there's more to it today. So learn what you need to learn to tell a story properly and well in 2007 and the future.
Mindy, I would take that question to a hire level: Did you get into this business because you wanted to write, or because you wanted to server your community or society?
There are plenty of opportunities to write today, more than ever. There are fewer and fewer to be of service using journalistic skills.
My first job out of college was publishing my own weekly. I wrote stories, wrote columns, took pictures, sold ads and cleaned the toilet.
Never in my career have I had a job that consisted of just one task (such as "just write and report").
And I worked 50-60 hours a week for publishers who were heartless bastards.
And that was at a time when the stakes to journalism and society where no where near as high as they are today.
So do you think I have any sympathy for the whiners?
There's always openings at Wal-Mart, and you can single-task there to your heart's content.
oops .. "higher level"
where do i get more information on this
Havenspire, bring value and joy.
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where do i get more information on this
Havenspire, bring value and joy.
…