: A rhetoric of barbecue…August 9, 2004
Frat-boy hijinks…
Okay, class, let’s review Chapter 4 of The Elements of Journalism. We learn that the “essence of journalism is a discipline of verification” in which professional practice is “focused on getting what happened down right.”
To be young is to be enamored of stupid pranks. Or at least that’s the salve I use to ease the embarrassment of my own youthful silliness. I chuckled in momentary recognition and solidarity with these jokers.
To be a journalist is to be enamored of the facts and willing to do the hard work of verifying them. That’s not the ideal. That’s what’s supposed to happen–the minimum professional standard. And if it’s not happening, something has gone very wrong with the profession.
Posted by acline | August 9, 2004 | Posted in: Main |
