What Makes Journalists Tick
“Let me just say that I’m always suspicious when I see articles about the motivations of journalists. I think they often reflect a misunderstanding of what journalism is all about. Journalists are supposed to be assholes. The system does not work, in fact, if society’s journalists are all nice, kind, friendly, rational people.
“You want a good percentage of them to be inconsolably crazy. You want them to be jealous of everything and everyone and to have heaps of personal hangups and flaws. That way they will always be motivated to punch holes in things.”
Editor’s Note: Sing along: “Still crazy, still cra-azee! Still crazy after all these years.”
CALLING ALL USU JCOM ALUMS: Where are you? We’re updating our alumni list. Please send your current position, title, contact info (including email), graduation year and any news to ted.pease@usu.edu.
“Let me just say that I’m always suspicious when I see articles about the motivations of journalists. I think they often reflect a misunderstanding of what journalism is all about. Journalists are supposed to be assholes. The system does not work, in fact, if society’s journalists are all nice, kind, friendly, rational people.“You want a good percentage of them to be inconsolably crazy. You want them to be jealous of everything and everyone and to have heaps of personal hangups and flaws. That way they will always be motivated to punch holes in things.”
(Thanks to alert WORDster Malcolm McMichael)
Editor’s Note: Sing along: “Still crazy, still cra-azee! Still crazy after all these years.”
CALLING ALL USU JCOM ALUMS: Where are you? We’re updating our alumni list. Please send your current position, title, contact info (including email), graduation year and any news to ted.pease@usu.edu.
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Oy vey.
ReplyDeleteEvery newsroom needs a couple psychotics, but the rest of us can do our jobs if we're merely grumpy cynics.
ReplyDeleteIs this guy related to yesterday's guy--Swinton? What a crank.
ReplyDeleteThis is hogwash.
ReplyDeleteCokie Roberts, to name just one, is as professional as they come, and is a "nice, kind, friendly, rational" person. Tim Russett came across the same way (I wish that I had known him). Marv Arrowsmith, whom I met during the JFK-Nixon campaign, was as gentlemanly and polite to the local AP guy (me) as he could have been. Every time he asked me to look over his copy before giving it to the teletype operator, I felt like Moses must have when he was handed those stone tablets: "Who, me?"
On the other hand, you and I have worked around many of the kind of people recommended by Mr. Taibbi. They made up stories and sources, invented quotes, took credit for the work of others, etc. No thanks. You can be tough and still be honest and a gentleman or lady (yeah, I know: "lady" isn't politically correct any more).
--Joe
"Hogwash"?! Language, Joe, language!
ReplyDelete