The Day Journalism Died.

I grew up adoring journalism and everything it represented. I loved Murphy Brown and wanted to be her one day. Now, I duck my head and quite often am ashamed to admit that I received my B.A. in Journalism. A co-worker and I were discussing the Palin issue yesterday ...the conversation went like this: Me: "I like this quote: "Kudos to the inventor of this whole thing," Stein wrote. "My only consolation is that if I had as much time on my hands as he clearly does, I probably would have figured this out and saved myself a fair amount of embarrassment." –Jonathan Stein I like this quote because Journalism 101 is CHECK YOUR FACTS before you publish a story. And...isn't that his JOB...to check the facts? Where does all his time go if he's not doing his job correctly? Seriously. Learned that day #1." Co Worker: "I haven’t been in journalism since 10th grade but I think I remember that you’re supposed to have two reliable sources. Sometimes the real news is too boring or not scandalous enough so the “drive-bys” create it." Me: "JOUR 1023--Media and Society…”always check your sources and cover all aspects of the story.” Worse class ever? JOUR 3333—don’t remember prof’s name, former New York Times reporter, “Ethics in Journalism”…took it in Spring 2003—my father is in the military (that is the same time as the Iraq war "kick off"). Needless to say, I stirred the pot quite a few times. Only 2 other “conservatives” in the entire class besides me. Ha. The prof LOVED me, though! I challenged him each and every class. Yeah—we’re really required to take this class. Too bad no one pays attention." hmmm... Then good ol' Treacher posted this on his blog later in the day...seems I'm not alone in my thoughts of (hatred) toward the media these days... (summary): Journalism has been sick for months, years...little hope for recovery, but still hope (ME: loving that word "HOPE"). "Some Republican governors tell CNN they were not particularly happy with the way the Republican Governors Association press conference was executed Thursday, saying that they agreed to go as a show of GOP governors' unity -- but they ended up feeling like silent Palin supporters, since it was clearly a press conference called for her. The GOP governors spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity." Think about this last sentence for a minute. It shouldn't take you nearly that long. Think about what it says about the person who wrote it. Think about what it says about the person who allowed it to be published. Think about the entirety of the institution they belong to, which says things like this 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without batting an eye. An institution that, in fact, blames us for noticing. I wonder if some musician will compose a song about the day the news died? But of course, we won't drive any Chevys to the levies...unless they're hybrid.