Kinda ironic that I say I'm pretty damn close to my dream job -- working at a newspaper.
Dream job is being a writer, and aside from the writing (and editing and page design) I get paid to do, I have some time and freedom to do other writing that I want to do -- maybe someday I'll make that pay, too (I can dream, right?).
Part of the reason I went for news/editorial in college journalism school over TV/radio is that broadcast news by its nature is more superficial, style-over-substance and image over everything. Printed news should fill the gaps but overall has failed. I can't take all the blame here, there's only so much I can do, and the small-town paper I work for makes a creditable effort at doing good by its readership. We just finished a bunch of stories on a county official who misused funds, had conflicts of interest, etc. When state and federal legislation hits home, we cover how it affects local citizens. We're not perfect, but I'd like to think we aren't part of the problem.
Though there are times we look at what gets big play in the big-city paper up the road and just shake our heads.
As for the Internet and similar technology killing newspapers that's largely true, because the industry hasn't found a good way to adjust. The business model is screwed, leaving not enough money to pay professional reporters who are actually good at their jobs, let alone all the other overhead (and since reporters don't sell ads, publishers often see them as non-revenue-generating and encourage shrinking the newsroom, leaving editors to fill news-hole with crappy puff pieces that piss off thinking people like yourself who stop reading the newspaper and downward the spiral goes).
I believe that journalism and newsgathering is not dying, but changing. I just hope I can keep up with the changes, and find foresighted-enough employers to keep me paying the rent.
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-07 06:06 pm (UTC)Dream job is being a writer, and aside from the writing (and editing and page design) I get paid to do, I have some time and freedom to do other writing that I want to do -- maybe someday I'll make that pay, too (I can dream, right?).
Part of the reason I went for news/editorial in college journalism school over TV/radio is that broadcast news by its nature is more superficial, style-over-substance and image over everything. Printed news should fill the gaps but overall has failed. I can't take all the blame here, there's only so much I can do, and the small-town paper I work for makes a creditable effort at doing good by its readership. We just finished a bunch of stories on a county official who misused funds, had conflicts of interest, etc. When state and federal legislation hits home, we cover how it affects local citizens. We're not perfect, but I'd like to think we aren't part of the problem.
Though there are times we look at what gets big play in the big-city paper up the road and just shake our heads.
As for the Internet and similar technology killing newspapers that's largely true, because the industry hasn't found a good way to adjust. The business model is screwed, leaving not enough money to pay professional reporters who are actually good at their jobs, let alone all the other overhead (and since reporters don't sell ads, publishers often see them as non-revenue-generating and encourage shrinking the newsroom, leaving editors to fill news-hole with crappy puff pieces that piss off thinking people like yourself who stop reading the newspaper and downward the spiral goes).
I believe that journalism and newsgathering is not dying, but changing. I just hope I can keep up with the changes, and find foresighted-enough employers to keep me paying the rent.