Comments on: Selling out in journalism, and why I don’t think I ever will http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/ curious by nature, journalist by trade Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:58:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Meranda http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-19945 Sat, 10 May 2008 18:18:22 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-19945 @Claire — I wasn't trying to be arrogant. As I hope you read in my post, I completely agree with my former co-worker's desire to leave. He hated his job. He SHOULD leave, for both his sake — he can and now will get paid more to hate his job elsewhere — and the community's — this isn't a job you can do well if your heart isn't in finding and telling the stories of your community. I was merely commenting on my reasons for staying, and "why I don't think I ever will" sell out. (And you can split hairs on my use of the phrase sell out, but it's hard to argue with it to mean leaving this entire profession to go work for higher wages filling out paperwork for the government. If you have a better term for it, I'll hear it.) It's not that I feel morally better or superior or any of those things. If anything, I'm jealous. Jealous that he doesn't have the need to do this, that he can take an easier or at least more profitable road and not feel like a sell out or feel like he's missing his calling. I'm not judging him, I'm reflecting on the things that keep me doing this when other options exist. @Claire — I wasn’t trying to be arrogant. As I hope you read in my post, I completely agree with my former co-worker’s desire to leave. He hated his job. He SHOULD leave, for both his sake — he can and now will get paid more to hate his job elsewhere — and the community’s — this isn’t a job you can do well if your heart isn’t in finding and telling the stories of your community.

I was merely commenting on my reasons for staying, and “why I don’t think I ever will” sell out. (And you can split hairs on my use of the phrase sell out, but it’s hard to argue with it to mean leaving this entire profession to go work for higher wages filling out paperwork for the government. If you have a better term for it, I’ll hear it.) It’s not that I feel morally better or superior or any of those things. If anything, I’m jealous. Jealous that he doesn’t have the need to do this, that he can take an easier or at least more profitable road and not feel like a sell out or feel like he’s missing his calling. I’m not judging him, I’m reflecting on the things that keep me doing this when other options exist.

]]> by: Claire http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-19816 Fri, 09 May 2008 14:36:27 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-19816 Wow - little bit arrogant are we? There is nothing wrong with people having different goals, different interests, different desires as far as careers go. Just because someone decides working in daily reporting - where the pay is low, the hours long - does not necessarily constitute "selling out." Working in news works well for you, which is a good thing - the world needs dedicated reporters. But save us the sanctimony - your pursuit is not more meaningful than that of the former reporter who goes into PR. The world needs all kinds of people - including those who are tolerant of others and don't judge others for making the choice that is best for them. Wow - little bit arrogant are we?

There is nothing wrong with people having different goals, different interests, different desires as far as careers go. Just because someone decides working in daily reporting - where the pay is low, the hours long - does not necessarily constitute “selling out.” Working in news works well for you, which is a good thing - the world needs dedicated reporters. But save us the sanctimony - your pursuit is not more meaningful than that of the former reporter who goes into PR. The world needs all kinds of people - including those who are tolerant of others and don’t judge others for making the choice that is best for them.

]]> by: Brad King http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-19736 Thu, 08 May 2008 21:02:00 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-19736 Meranda: As someone who's worked 14 years (and counting) in and around the profession, there's another more frightening reason for the young brain drain: lack of innovation. I've worked as a journalist in Ohio, SF and Boston -- and in every place, I felt the frustration -- and sometimes managed the frustration -- as we tried to implement modern technologies that would allow reporters to tell better stories and engage with the readership, only to have management shut them down. The fact is the day of the story being the primary driver of information is over. We now need to provide tools and data -- and many reporters reject that notion because they still believe a one-to-many source is the best way to reach people. Stories are important, but if you truly care about the profession and the community, you want to provide them tools to engage and interact. When that does happen, the best and brightest find their way to professions that allow them to do that. Meranda:

As someone who’s worked 14 years (and counting) in and around the profession, there’s another more frightening reason for the young brain drain: lack of innovation.

I’ve worked as a journalist in Ohio, SF and Boston — and in every place, I felt the frustration — and sometimes managed the frustration — as we tried to implement modern technologies that would allow reporters to tell better stories and engage with the readership, only to have management shut them down.

The fact is the day of the story being the primary driver of information is over. We now need to provide tools and data — and many reporters reject that notion because they still believe a one-to-many source is the best way to reach people.

Stories are important, but if you truly care about the profession and the community, you want to provide them tools to engage and interact.

When that does happen, the best and brightest find their way to professions that allow them to do that.

]]> by: MikeB http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17858 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:42:34 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17858 Face it, not everybody who goes into any line of work is cut out for it. People change jobs all the time. I've been in the biz 31 years. Pay isn't great, working conditions could be better, but the job satisfaction is high. Why do I stay (yes, I can do other things)? I can't imagine doing anything else. Worked for both family-owned paper and corporate. Both had good, bad, up down. I just love what I do, have done and will do (done it all, writing, copyediting, rewrite, designing, columnist, photo, enjoyed it all). Can't ebven imagine doing flackery, pencil-pushing, or any other 'sell-out" routine. They'll have to carry me out on a "turtle" (For all you younger journalists, look it up. It is an old newspaper term) Face it, not everybody who goes into any line of work is cut out for it. People change jobs all the time. I’ve been in the biz 31 years. Pay isn’t great, working conditions could be better, but the job satisfaction is high. Why do I stay (yes, I can do other things)? I can’t imagine doing anything else. Worked for both family-owned paper and corporate. Both had good, bad, up down. I just love what I do, have done and will do (done it all, writing, copyediting, rewrite, designing, columnist, photo, enjoyed it all). Can’t ebven imagine doing flackery, pencil-pushing, or any other ’sell-out” routine.

They’ll have to carry me out on a “turtle” (For all you younger journalists, look it up. It is an old newspaper term)

]]> by: Kate Martin http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17666 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:14:03 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17666 Meranda, just saw your post and I completely agree with it. It's frustrating for me to see reporters going through the motions and doing the bare minimum to get a paycheck when there are so many people out there who would die to have that job. Meranda, just saw your post and I completely agree with it. It’s frustrating for me to see reporters going through the motions and doing the bare minimum to get a paycheck when there are so many people out there who would die to have that job.

]]> by: Charles on… anything that comes along » Why some sell out and others don’t http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17449 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:01:19 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17449 [...] Fascinating stuff over at Meranda Watling’s blog - she’s a local journalist in Ohio - watching a colleague who joined a year after her (and she’s only been there a couple of years max) go off to a super-well-paid job in government: [...] […] Fascinating stuff over at Meranda Watling’s blog - she’s a local journalist in Ohio - watching a colleague who joined a year after her (and she’s only been there a couple of years max) go off to a super-well-paid job in government: […]

]]> by: Cool Links #2 (With some not-so-cool links) « TEACH J: For Teachers of Journalism And Media http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17418 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:28:09 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17418 [...] Meranda Writes - about a journalism sell out.  I can’t tell if she pities him, hates him wants to be him or doesn’t know.  I too was a journalism sell out, I left for the better hours and better pay.  But at least I still teach journalism.  But in today’s market I still can’t blame j-students who become dissatisfied with the state of journalism today.  Many who have decent web or video skills can find better pay and working conditions at Web 2.0 startups or in PR.  Or if they are really crazy they can start their own online biz - Drudge Report, Grammar Girl, Huffington Post, need I say more? Posted in Design, Journalism, Newspaper/Magazine, Video, Web. [...] […] Meranda Writes - about a journalism sell out.  I can’t tell if she pities him, hates him wants to be him or doesn’t know.  I too was a journalism sell out, I left for the better hours and better pay.  But at least I still teach journalism.  But in today’s market I still can’t blame j-students who become dissatisfied with the state of journalism today.  Many who have decent web or video skills can find better pay and working conditions at Web 2.0 startups or in PR.  Or if they are really crazy they can start their own online biz - Drudge Report, Grammar Girl, Huffington Post, need I say more? Posted in Design, Journalism, Newspaper/Magazine, Video, Web. […]

]]> by: Notes from a Teacher: Mark on Media » Tuesday squibs http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17374 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:52:47 +0000 http://merandawrites.com/2008/03/31/selling-out-in-journalism-and-why-i-dont-think-i-ever-will/#comment-17374 [...] Selling out in journalism, and why I don’t think I ever will. Folks like Meranda are the future of the craft. The present, too. [...] […] Selling out in journalism, and why I don’t think I ever will. Folks like Meranda are the future of the craft. The present, too. […]

]]>