Journalism: The People’s Game

By the people, for the people.

That’s how I view journalism. As I’ve gone through my journalism classes at Baylor, I’ve fallen in love with the idea that journalism is a public service.

Some of you probably scoffed at the last line and said, “It is! What else is journalism for?”

Well, that’s a good question. Some will say journalism is just a mockery of our society. Journalists write lies and sway public opinion. I’m here to tell you that the journalists who do that … aren’t journalists. They’re deceivers.

Journalism is all about society. It’s all about reporting both sides of a story to the people. It’s about ensuring information is available to people.  Journalists aren’t supposed to make people believe anything except that they’ve been provided with all the facts.

To write a story for people to read requires a certain understanding of how people work. Journalists can’t do their job without some kind of interaction with another person. Whether this other be a source, a co-worker or a reader, journalists should know how to interact with them.

The importance of being able to talk to sources is obvious. If you don’t know how to ask questions, you don’t get the information you want. As a student, it was intimidating at first trying to interview someone. As a sprouting journalist, however, that intimidation can’t last long. With the Lariat I’ve interviewed a variety of people — from Judge Ken Starr to Kevin Reynolds, the director of the TV series “Hatfields &McCoys.”  My interviews with Starr were a source of anxiety because of the sensitive topic, which was the Baylor Alumni Association’s vote on the Transition Agreement.

I don’t write this blog to rehash this situation. Instead, I’d like to use that situation to point out that even students have the opportunity to hone their skills at working with sources. Interviewing is like playing checkers or perhaps poker. In a controversial story, journalists need to have their poker face on when they pull out a big question. It’s a game in a way.

In addition, working with co-workers is crucial to a journalist getting the job done efficiently.  There are so many moving parts in a newsroom that when one person doesn’t do their job, the whole publication could suffer.  Communication is crucial. Knowing how to work through problems with a co-worker can make all the difference, especially when you’re both on deadline.  If anything, working together to get the job done is necessary — even if two co-workers can’t stand each other. We’re there for a common goal (hopefully).

The final part of a journalist’s interaction with people comes from their readership.  Communicating to the readers is what a journalist is supposed to do. It’s pretty much in their job description.

Without readers, what are journalists for? Readers hold journalists accountable. They are our watchdogs.

Readers, you are my watchdog. Hold me accountable. As a journalist, I’m supposed to convey accurate information in a timely manner. That’s my goal. As it should be yours to hold me to it.

Related articles

• Give me Liberty, Give me Facts (kaileymccarthy.wordpress.com)
• Journalistic responsibility (kumichuck.wordpress.com)
• ‘Fixing’ Journalism (overmediation.wordpress.com)

Lesson Learned: Christian Journalists

Decisions, decisions.

Everyday journalists, well, people in general, must make decisions.  What am I going to do with my life? What should I eat for dinner? Should I do my homework now?

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am a religion major as well as a journalism major. I made the decision to switch from a religion minor to a religion major this semester.  My main reasoning was that I have time in a schedule to do so and “it’d be cool.”

When people hear my majors, they often wonder aloud, “Why? Why do you need it? What will you use it for?”

My answer would always be, “I don’t know.”

Well, now I know.  This past weekend, I went on a retreat with my college group from Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco.  We talked about a lot of things in our lessons, but the one lesson that really struck me as important to my future career was one that’s been lurking in the shadows of my mind for a long time.

You see, journalists are supposed to be go-getters and willing to write an inflammatory article. They’re salty coffee addicts that generally walk around with a pencil behind they’re ear and skepticism in their minds.

All too often, the word “journalist” is associated with bad reporting, no mercy and invasions into personal lives. Some journalists are like this.  I could try to defend them here, but that’s not my main point right now.

When my church group talked about serving Christ through our careers, I wondered how being a Christian would jive with being a journalist. They seem so opposite each other in today’s society that some compare them to oil and water. They don’t mix.  You can be a Christian or you can be a journalist.  I now disagree with this statement.

During that discussion at the retreat, I decided to let my life be an experiment. I’ve been a Christian for the past 11 years. Technically, I’ve been a journalist for about three years, since I started working at a newspaper. I could identify myself as a Christian or a journalist, but I’d rather not have to choose. The good thing is I don’t have to.

I am a Christian journalist. There, it’s said. I’m taking two pillars that were originally supporting separate aspects of my life and making them work together to hold up all that I do.

How exactly this will look is uncertain. From my studies of journalism ethics, it seems everything will fit together. Fair, balanced and accurate.  These are qualities of a journalist and they certainly don’t contradict my faith. As I make decisions as a journalist, it will always be after looking through my Christian lens.

Journalism is as much a part of me as being a follower of Jesus is.  How could I be asked to give one up by a society that doesn’t like this mixture?

As I learn the ins and outs of being a Christian journalist, I’m hoping that this will be just one step into reshaping the negative outlook on journalists in today’s societies.

Related articles

• Do Journalists Understand Religion? (theblaze.com)
• Why Christian Journalists Find Joy in Reporting (blackchristiannews.com)

Introductions are in order …

My life isn’t by any means easy.

But, I’ve got it better than quite a few people in the world.  Part of the reason for that is I’m doing something I love.  It could also be that I’m insane.

As a junior journalism and religion double major, I’m taking 17 credit hours at Baylor University this semester. In the meantime, I’m working on over 1,500 pages of reading for my honors thesis.  During Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights I attend church.  I work anywhere between five to 10 hours of unpaid overtime a week.  Somewhere in the midst of this I (sometimes) do my homework.  Besides the few hours I sleep during the week, I spend my time at a desk.

What do I do at that desk? Good question. I’m not sure I know half the time.

I’m starting my second semester as the city editor at the Baylor Lariat.  The position of city editor was recently deemed the “etc” job in the newsroom by one of my co-workers.  This is because if the job isn’t mentioned in someone else’s job description, then it usually falls to me.

Here’s a glimpse into what I do:

• I edit all the news stories that come across my desk. This could be up to 10 stories a day, each with a few rounds of edits between the writer, the assistant city editor and myself.
• As city editor, I oversee about 16 reporters and four staff writers.  This means that I approve the stories they write, when their deadline on those stories should be and how those stories are written.  I edit about 45 stories during a good week.
• I submit art ideas for each story.
• Answering emails, texts and voicemails is a constant activity throughout my day.
• New to my job description this year, I also manage much of the Lariat’s presence on social media. This includes using sites such as HootSuite, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
• I’m on the editorial board, which means I sit in a two hour meeting each week debating what editorials to write for the next week.
• Many of the complaints, compliments, questions and concerns come through me before going to those for who they are intended.
• When necessary, I’ll often write stories on top of my other jobs.
  

  This is a story I recently wrote for the Lariat, while also maintaining my duties as city editor.

I don’t list all of my duties as a way to get your sympathy or even your admiration at my busy life.  No, this isn’t my intention at all.

Rather, I aim to reiterate an ancient point:  Spend your life doing something you love to do.

People ask me why I stick around.  Why I put up with all the complaints, stress and sleeplessness.  I would’ve quit a long time ago if I absolutely hated this job.  Let’s be honest, it’d be easy to hate.

The rewarding parts of the job are what help me stay the course.  I have the privilege of helping aspiring writers learn more about their style and voice as a journalist.  I work with a great staff at the Lariat.  Not only that, but this job gives me a sense of purpose.

When I came to Baylor, I declared my major and accepted I would be a journalist.  If nothing else, these past few years have confirmed that this kind of job is where I want to be.

Find something that drives you crazy.  In a good way.  It could be exactly the career you’ve dreamed of.