3 ms·

What's your definition?

photochemsyn 4y ago
A journalist is someone who gathers information on specific subjects from a variety of sources, including original documents, interviews with individuals, and others, then condenses that information down into a readable article or watchable video, with the goal of informing the public (in an unbiased manner) on that subject. The closest profession to 'journalist' is probably 'historian', but the former reports on current events, while the latter synthesizes past events.
- chiefalchemist 4y ago
  Not really. That's a reporter. Journalism is more. Again: https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 The problem is reporters have lowered the bar and the less aware bought in. Mediocrity has been normalized. That's ironic. But it's not journalism.
  - photochemsyn 4y ago
    How does one distinguish between a journalist and a state-sponsored or corporate-sponsored propagandist, then? I think I'm going to go ask ChatGPT about this.
smackeyacky 4y ago
I can make a stab at that looking from that list. We're not looking at free speech here, we're looking at protected speech for nazis. Our latest batch of nazis seem to think that people objecting to things like inciting violence, encouraging hate of minorities, white supremacism and all the anti-science nonsense they use to recruit new cult members should be protected speech in safe spaces. A very different idea to free speech. Let Elon set fire to Twitter, it is a hard rule of the internet that any forum invaded by nazis is doomed to failure.
chiefalchemist 4y ago
The link was there: https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1
- specialist 4y ago
  That bullet list reminds me of Grady Booch's answer... Me: What's software architecture? Booch: Software architecture is what a software architect creates. That's why I had hoped you had your own definition. I was present during the blog era. As an activist who tried to blog, I had some skin in the "are bloggers journalists?" slap fight. I eventually settled on an expansive, explicit, actionable working definition: Cite your sources. Show your work. Sign your name. Tada! You're a journalist. Bonus points for errata, retractions, updates. Note that my criteria excludes most of the pundits, influencers, trolls, and infotainment spokesmodels. Truly, there aren't very many journalists left. And we're the poorer for their absence.
  - chiefalchemist 4y ago
    Another way to frame it. Journalist* isn't a title. - It's a verb. It's not what your self-proclaim. It's your actions. It's what you do. - It's not where you're employed. It's your dedication to your responsibility as a member of The Fourth Estate. * much like Leader.
    - specialist 4y ago
      Huh. You're absolutely correct. Am now embarrassed I'd never thought about it like that. Your framing neatly resolves the blog era slap fight. It was about access, what became known as "access journalism". Traditional journalists didn't support mere bloggers having a seat at the table (gatekeeping). And the elite would only deign to talk to established journalists. For my part, I've always felt the elite were accountable to the public. I was just a constituent who shared my experience and thoughts online. I didn't care what any one called (labeled) me, except when the purpose was to dismiss or exclude me. Anyhoo... Thanks! Journalism is a verb. I love it.

A journalist is someone who gathers information on specific subjects from a variety of sources, including original documents, interviews with individuals, and others, then condenses that information down into a readable article or watchable video, with the goal of informing the public (in an unbiased manner) on that subject. The closest profession to 'journalist' is probably 'historian', but the former reports on current events, while the latter synthesizes past events.

chiefalchemist 4y ago
Not really. That's a reporter. Journalism is more. Again: https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 The problem is reporters have lowered the bar and the less aware bought in. Mediocrity has been normalized. That's ironic. But it's not journalism.
- photochemsyn 4y ago
  How does one distinguish between a journalist and a state-sponsored or corporate-sponsored propagandist, then? I think I'm going to go ask ChatGPT about this.

smackeyacky 4y ago

I can make a stab at that looking from that list. We're not looking at free speech here, we're looking at protected speech for nazis. Our latest batch of nazis seem to think that people objecting to things like inciting violence, encouraging hate of minorities, white supremacism and all the anti-science nonsense they use to recruit new cult members should be protected speech in safe spaces. A very different idea to free speech. Let Elon set fire to Twitter, it is a hard rule of the internet that any forum invaded by nazis is doomed to failure.

chiefalchemist 4y ago

The link was there: https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1 https://kottke.org/20/01/jim-lehrers-rules-of-journalism-1

specialist 4y ago
That bullet list reminds me of Grady Booch's answer... Me: What's software architecture? Booch: Software architecture is what a software architect creates. That's why I had hoped you had your own definition. I was present during the blog era. As an activist who tried to blog, I had some skin in the "are bloggers journalists?" slap fight. I eventually settled on an expansive, explicit, actionable working definition: Cite your sources. Show your work. Sign your name. Tada! You're a journalist. Bonus points for errata, retractions, updates. Note that my criteria excludes most of the pundits, influencers, trolls, and infotainment spokesmodels. Truly, there aren't very many journalists left. And we're the poorer for their absence.
- chiefalchemist 4y ago
  Another way to frame it. Journalist* isn't a title. - It's a verb. It's not what your self-proclaim. It's your actions. It's what you do. - It's not where you're employed. It's your dedication to your responsibility as a member of The Fourth Estate. * much like Leader.
  - specialist 4y ago
    Huh. You're absolutely correct. Am now embarrassed I'd never thought about it like that. Your framing neatly resolves the blog era slap fight. It was about access, what became known as "access journalism". Traditional journalists didn't support mere bloggers having a seat at the table (gatekeeping). And the elite would only deign to talk to established journalists. For my part, I've always felt the elite were accountable to the public. I was just a constituent who shared my experience and thoughts online. I didn't care what any one called (labeled) me, except when the purpose was to dismiss or exclude me. Anyhoo... Thanks! Journalism is a verb. I love it.