Thought For The Day (Special Lying Jackal Is Upset Edition)
Is journalism a trade, in the sense of something one learns as an apprentice, and works at until old age? The only specific skill, shorthand, that journalists are supposed to need has become of even less importance since the advent of tape recorders. It is a trade in the sense of “know the tricks of the trade,” in obtaining information, conducting interviews, and putting an article in the right order, but even these cannot be taught except by experience. The three most important qualities for a journalist–curiosity, quickness and writing still–cannot be taught at all.
–Richard West, An English Journey
Woodward, Bernstein: Neither went to ‘J-school,’ as it happens
Are these two truly the beaux ideals of journalism (or, to use a Grace-ism, the “journalistic ney ploos ooltrah”)? Perhaps they didn’t go to journalism school, but I am sure they have both lectured there.
Why not use W.T inStead (whom West greatly admires, iirc)? .
Yes, I thought of Stead, but I needed to come up with journalists of which O’Douche would have heard.
Fortunately Woodward went on to disgrace himself as a national security maven and Bernstein became a marital joke - (note to self: never marry a woman who is much funnier than you are.)
j-School has always struck me as silly. If you have a faint clue how to write you can be a “Journalist” - last refuge of scoundrels and all that. To be a writer you might actually have to have something to say. A very rare talent amidst the hacks who think horse races matter.
To be fast, insightful and interesting is a dark art. Most have no clue at all.
Maybe reporters are all calling themselves “journalists” in recent years because they know deep down that they aren’t reporting in any serious definition of that word.
I’d have to look up the West quote to be sure, and Friday isn’t a good day for such ambitious activity on the part of the terminally lazy, but I’d bet that line was supposed to read “…curiosity, quickness and writing SKILL…”
респект…
It is a trade in the sense of “know the tricks of […….
Это не совсем то, что мне нужно. Есть другие варианты?…
It is a trade in the sense of “know the tricks of […….