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This is my goto filter for "Is it journalism?" https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journal

This is my goto filter for "Is it journalism?" https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 The unfortunate nature of modern journalism is its "rebranded" itself (in an Orwellian) sort of way. What used to be rare and shunned is now standard best practices. If that profession wants to be sloppy, lazy, etc. that's fine. But that's not journalism and the people doing it aren't journalists. It's obvious at this point they're not going to police themselves. It's up to the rest of us to call out what we see, when we see it.

oezi 4y ago
The unfortunate truth of modern journalism is that people don't want to pay for it. So being a journalist today means getting paid by the number of words or paid by the number of stories produced per day. I know for instance in a typical reputable German online news site a journalist on the news desk has to produce 4 to 8 news items per day. Per day! If you are on the investigation teams that is obviously lower but nobody can spend a week on researching a topic anymore.
- chiefalchemist 4y ago
  My point is, "getting paid by the number of words or paid by the number of stories produced per day" is no longer journalism. Call it reporting. Call it wordsmith-for-hire. Call it whatever you want. But that is no longer journalism. I certainly understand the nature of that business has changed. However, that doesn't mean they get to be lazy and sloppy and still earn / deserve the title of journalism and journalists, any more than flipping burgers at McDonald's makes me a chef. The fact that they've knowingly and shamelessly changed the meaning of the word (i.e., they use it well aware of the fact that they don't meet the definition) doesn't make it okay. Repeating a lie doesn't magically turn it into truth.
LeifCarrotson 4y ago
In particular: > Cover, write, and present every story with the care I would want if the story were about me. When your subject is described by a press release to which you add little more than your byline, you haven't taken that level of care.

oezi 4y ago

The unfortunate truth of modern journalism is that people don't want to pay for it. So being a journalist today means getting paid by the number of words or paid by the number of stories produced per day. I know for instance in a typical reputable German online news site a journalist on the news desk has to produce 4 to 8 news items per day. Per day! If you are on the investigation teams that is obviously lower but nobody can spend a week on researching a topic anymore.

chiefalchemist 4y ago
My point is, "getting paid by the number of words or paid by the number of stories produced per day" is no longer journalism. Call it reporting. Call it wordsmith-for-hire. Call it whatever you want. But that is no longer journalism. I certainly understand the nature of that business has changed. However, that doesn't mean they get to be lazy and sloppy and still earn / deserve the title of journalism and journalists, any more than flipping burgers at McDonald's makes me a chef. The fact that they've knowingly and shamelessly changed the meaning of the word (i.e., they use it well aware of the fact that they don't meet the definition) doesn't make it okay. Repeating a lie doesn't magically turn it into truth.

LeifCarrotson 4y ago

In particular: > Cover, write, and present every story with the care I would want if the story were about me. When your subject is described by a press release to which you add little more than your byline, you haven't taken that level of care.