I AM NOT A JOURNALIST

George Rebane

This year I took the advice of several friends and started blogging, first through our local paper’s website and then striking out on my own.  In recent years bloggers have become prominent on the international landscape as a source of every kind of information that can be transmitted over the World Wide Web, and in doing so they have become a kind of complementary burden to the established press – our vaunted Fourth Estate.  I don’t believe that any blogger really wanted to get into the news business.  But responding to their readers, some of them wound up becoming another news source.

Contrary to the loud protestations from the established media, the continuing decline of the journalistic profession really helped put bloggers on the map.  As an example of such decline, one need only go to the Society of Professional Journalists and compare their code of ethics against what is daily printed and broadcast.  Within this experience, it was a slam dunk for bloggers to become a growing and threatening alternative for every kind of content that was formerly the reserve of the professional press.

My personal theory of why mainstream journalism has suffered a decline hangs on two factors – the quality of the talent and the number of outlets.  In the liberal arts, especially the humanities, most people educated in the post-Great Society era (1965 onwards) have been dealt a meager hand in the game of life.  The increase in the number of outlets (primarily TV and Internet) has nevertheless provided employment for more marginal talking heads or journalists, if you will.  Today’s average reporter appears to be woefully ill-informed about history, current events relating to his assignment, and, of course, English grammar.  How many times have you heard today’s educated say ‘That surprised her and I.’, ‘There is a lot more features.’, or something similar.  But then all that doesn’t matter much because today’s audience is also less demanding.  And so it goes in the information age.

Reducing all this down to our little “burg” - as a recent commenter so aptly cited our mountain county hideaway - a few Nevada County bloggers and I have been encouraged by the local editor to rise beyond ourselves.  Specifically, he understands us all to be aspiring journalists seeking to duplicate the long-sought professionalism of our newspaper, The Union, and assessing us to fall woefully short in the effort.  Tirelessly this exemplar, nay, self-declared paragon of “thick-skinned” journalism patrols our blogs and does his best to point out our errors and short-comings.  These range from the egregious to the unforgivable – lexicographic behavior literally beyond the journalistic pale especially to the extent that it shades The Union - and all this in the name of holding us “accountable”.  Evidence of his industry in pursuing this grail is sprinkled throughout our blogs.  And though I hesitate to burden the reader with the task of seeing for himself; such undertaking would serve, if only anecdotally, to validate some of the points made above, especially relating to the ‘meager hand’. 

So dear Reader, I am here to provide relief to those disappointed in what they perceive as my attempts at journalism and hereby declare unconditionally – I am not a journalist.

I consider the stated ethics of the SPJ to be self-serving statements of utter hypocrisy.  How many of us have seen journalists cite their bona fides of being unbiased, balanced, or residing in any other state of disinfected equilibrium.  How many of us have heard a single journalist offer a full disclosure as to his political leanings, moneyed support of causes or candidates, or receipt of benefices.  Their claims to residing at such extra-human heights have been refuted in word and song to the point where now only humor serves when the next claim to balance, objectivity, and correctness is trotted out.

I believe journalists to be plain old humans like the rest of us with our inbred and acquired propensities to tilt this way or that – the protestations of our little tinpot editor definitely withstanding.  I believe them to be equally swayed by fame, fortune, and fear.  With the immortal membership dictum of Groucho Marx echoing in my ears, I say again, I am not a journalist.  So what in tarnation am I?

I am simply a commentator who sees the world around him through a special set of eyeballs.  And if I can describe what I see well enough, then my readers may be entertained, enlightened, or enraged.  The main thing for me is my readership, it is only their insightful comments and return visits that make all this worthwhile for me and for any blogger whose written word is their labor of love.

Now, dear Reader, that you’ve suffered through this little piece of credo that may unintentionally slip into harangue, let me state some of my tilts - the ones I would want you to know so you can better follow the admonition of a local left-wing blogger who advises that my blog should be read “with caution”.  I consider that excellent advice for I will certainly do my best to convince you that my views are reasonable and valid. And if you consider them otherwise, I and the other readers would welcome your more reasonable and valid counter.  I will not attempt to manipulate you since, in a single breath, that would be a lie to both of us. Onward –

1. I am a naturalized citizen who legally emigrated from a post-war displaced persons camp in Germany.  I was born in Estonia and with my family have witnessed at first hand the ravages of two distinct types of tyranny – national socialism and international socialism.  The touted ‘blessings of collectivism’ to me is not a theoretical subject.
2. As is often the case with survivors/escapees from tyranny, naturalized U.S. citizens become super-patriots.  I too am so afflicted.
3. My economic values derive from what is known as the Austrian School.  I am an unabashed market capitalist.  For details see Hazlitt’s ‘Economics in One Lesson’.
4. My socio-political make up is shaped by the Founders as seen through the lights of the Federalist Papers and later well summarized in ‘The Law’ by F. Bastiat.
5. I view and interpret the intricacies of ‘natural things’ around me through the lens shaped by my experience and education in my chosen field of systems science.  (See ‘About’ for more)
6. The behavior of humans and society are for me further clarified by Skinnerian behaviorism where not explicitly refuted by cognitive science.
7. Politically I veer toward the right and find the greatest comfort in a form of libertarianism that shuns their orthodox isolationist views.  The Republicans, who most often get my vote, are a poor match; the Democrats, who seldom get my vote, are no match at all.  Jo Ann and I give money to CATO, The Heritage Foundation, and US English.  We give money to many local charities and 501c3 organizations too long to list here.  We also have contributed to the campaigns of Nate Beason and Sue Horne.  We have no financial interests in Nevada County save our home.
8. I am a Christian.  My ‘open theism’ and scientific cosmology must match, and I am constantly looking from my respondents for any errors in my belief system.  I grieve for the current state of Christianity and its perception by the secular humanists.  As a Bayesian, I take no tenet of my belief system to have probability one or zero.
9. Since (as a Bayesian) I am not perfect, I constantly test my belief system and seek the counsel and critique of people of other persuasions subject to reason.  Consequently, many (most?) of my friends, correspondents, and intellectual combatants are people of good will, reason, and intellect who see the world through their own valuable lenses that are different from mine.  I am blessed.
10. I see us all of equal worth only in the eyes of God.  On earth we are all different along every dimension or attribute that you care to dig up.  To each other our value varies immensely as witnessed by our walk and not our talk.  To deny this reality denies our potential for the future.
11. I believe that humans are on an epochal threshold called The Singularity.  To the extent that we recognize that and make appropriate social policy, we will maximize our likelihood of survival and the future potential of Homo Sapiens Sapiens.  To the extent that we deny/ignore it, we will suffer.
12. In the last resort, I evaluate all propositions, initiatives, and conundra with the pragmatic and seminal utility – ‘Will this better help us all go to the stars?’

Comments

[Mikey McD]

Transparency and objective behavior (proof you are not a journalist), thanks for blogging with an honest "pen." Dinosaurs, dodo birds, print newspapers...

[Teine Rebane Kenney]

Dear Daddy (who is not even trying to be a journalist), That is one of your best and most comprehensive (about you) posts yet.
You need a website! Teine

[Jeff Pelline]

I AM A BLOGGER, TOO
Thanks for your write up George:

No, you're not a journalist. But when you challenge the professionalism of journalists, such as questioning "the quality of the talent" or taking them to task for "grammar" you ought to be aware of you own shortcomings as a blogger and your fellow bloggers. It still impacts your credibility with readers. We both have that in common. (My father was an engineer, so I'm familiar with the concerns of engineers — most of them stereotypes from the '50s to '70s. You ought to set foot in a journalism school at Northwestern, UC Berkeley or Stanford and see what's going on nowadays).
Witness some recent bloopers from our locals:
1. Claiming a link for a local newspaper site didn't exist because you misspelled the name, so you couldn't find it in the database. You corrected the spelling but not the inference of unprofessionalism. That was the bigger error. You didn't link to the article, either, a "cardinal sin" of blogging.
2. Calling journalists "math challenged" when a fellow engineer and blogger showed himself to be math challenged — in calculating a simple percentage no less! Thanks Russ for your apology after that post. But I thought you guys where the "numeration and critical thinking" experts. That's what your blogs advertise.
3. Not stating conflicts of interest. Any commentator should disclose his conflicts, such as campaign contributions. It adds to the credibility. The reader deserves to know. Still not much detail about this yet. You make fun of them, but codes of ethics among journalists provide such protections. Thank goodness for that!

I do not "patrol" your sites looking for bloopers. I read many blog sites daily, including yours. I comment on many of them. You do not need to patrol some blogs to find errors — they stare you right in the face. After a while you just shake your head and stop reading. That kind of defeats the purpose of any needed "alternative voices." (which I agree are always needed. They were needed long before blogs. They were called "alternative" newspapers. On another front, FOX is doing well because the flavor of news it provides has a following).

The truth is that newspapers aren't "dying"; newspaper readership is greater than ever before. Web readership is more than offsetting the decline in print in most cases — for a total *increase* in readership. Papers from the London Times to the Los Angeles are reaching more readers than ever before with their Web site.

I also would encourage you to take a look at how blogging is going nowadays. Blogging has many challenges.

I urge anybody to read "An Important Lesson about Grassroots Media" by Steve Outing, an online expert and a former colleage of mine at the S.F Chronicle:

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/stopthepresses_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003677395

I like blogs and am an avid blog reader. I hope they continue to thrive. Most journalists do. But they will only thrive if they continue to provide credible commentary. On a more human level, the premise is even more simple: "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

[Jeff Pelline]

"Ladies and gentleman: We interrupt this programming for a news bulletin"!
http://ncwatch.typepad.com/media/2007/12/my-apology-to-b.html

Anyway, it seemed appropriate to the topic at hand (bloggers vs. journalists) during my morning reading (not patrolling) of myriad blogs. Glad not to feel singled out.

Cheers.

[gladtohavemademyexodus]

Speaking of errors...have you seen the Police Blotter the last couple days? Looks like the proof reader was on holiday. The paragraphs don't even follow...?????????

[Jeff Pelline]

I stand corrected if I'm wrong, but I didn't think the paragraphs are supposed to "follow" in a police blotter. A police blotter is not a story with transitions between paragraphs; it's a series of unrelated events, listed in chronological order by the time they were reported. — Happy holidays, "Mr. Pee-line"

[gladtohavemademyexodus]

In the fifth column the last sentence reads "enforcement officers were

in the 6th column it goes on to say "chicken with a broken leg

i don't work for a newspaper but that doesn't make sense. Shouldn't a sentence be complete?

[Martin Light]

An excellent article. I enjoy the sincerity and warmth of your writings as well as the depth of your knowledge on the topics. I had "LOL's" reading gladtohavemademyexodus'comments. Ouch! Appears to me that someone has put a laser sight on "the pulpit".

[Jeff Pelline]

Hey GTHME,

Now that you provided some specifics and elaborated, I was able to investigate. The online version for today's police blotter reads fine, but you're right about the print version. Some text is missing in the print version because of a coding error in laying out the page, according to the copyeditor. We heartily apologize to you and other print readers for the missing words! (I'm not sure about any other days, but it was on the desk's radar).
Martin, I know it's tough to be scrutinized for the unsubstantiated claims about The Union or its staff that you make on your blog or errors of omission in your reporting, but it goes with the territory in journalism. You're held accountable daily. In addition, your mistakes in print cannot be "erased" like on the Web. I'm also glad that you subscribe/read the print version of The Union too; I thought you just read the Web site. Have a great weekend!

[Buffalo_Breath]

George,

Very focused commentary, and thanks for the self-expository insight on your origins of purpose.

Mr. P wants to give everyone a lesson in "journalism" in an attempt to bring the playing field to a level upon which he can compete. NCLB

The disarmed jailer of civil discourse pleads "wait" as thinking men turn away.

Onward,

BB

[Jeff Pelline]

With all due respect, BB, "No, they don't." Thinking men step up, such as Steve Frish of the Sierra Business Council, and write objective commentary such as this (on Russ Steele's blog), and they also have the courage to sign their names without resorting to name calling and labels (decidedly uncivil). I guess now you're going to "circle the wagon" and stick a banana in Steve's tailpipe, call him a non-NCL, and label him an "outsider" too. Happy Holidays!

From Russ Steele's blog, where he responds in "part one" to a column. (I would cut and paste the URL but I don't have another browser on this laptop). Read on:

Dear Russ, Jeff, George et al:

Well I am not sure if I am a newcomer or an old timer, or even considered part of Nevada County, since I live in Truckee. My organization does have more than 750 business members in the Sierra Nevada and dozens in Nevada County, on both sides of the great divide. I think if we are going to make progress we need to leave all preconceived notions of past hurts and grievances behind and chart a new course.

I really liked Jeff's column. I also agree with many of Russ's ideas about encouraging business development.

Locals are wise to the stalled progress. I hear it on a regular basis from members and interested parties. I have a few observations about the issue I would like to share.

Economic development is really about community development, and it needs to be looked at as part of building a strong resilient, healthy community that creates meaningful employment, safe clean housing, appropriate infrastructure and empowered collective leadership. Economic development has traditionally been looked at as a single issue, with interests collected around it that saw a direct benefit to increase profits. The reality is that everyone benefits from a strong economy, so everyone should be a stake holder.

If everyone is a stakeholder we need to strip discussions of economic development of past partisan preconceptions and really work to build community capacity to effect change. Information about community needs and problems should be balanced with information about how we can improve community assets. We should build on the strengths of multiple community organizations/individuals and not demonize them with name calling and other nonsense. We should be targeting the whole community, rising as many boats as possible. We should be identifying and developing leadership and provide them with opportunities to lead to hone their skills.

We should also be making a point of being as inclusive as possible, That means the partnerships should cross boundaries;, the ecumenical community should be at the table, as should social welfare advocates, environmental organizations, sustainability advocates, the latino community, etc. Diversity is a strength. We should be creating an environment where everyone is welcome.

We should also be creating an environment of collective leadership. One of the greatest impediments to progress is the idea that certain people have that they know best for the community. Sometimes they might have the best ideas, but if they protect their "turf" like street gangs, no new ideas are going to be allowed to rise to the top. Innovation needs a little chaos. We should also be looking for wholistic solutions as much as possible, Ideas that synergistically connect together multiple peoples work, to achieve a greater goal have tremendous impact.

There is new leadership on these issues, it is emerging all over the place. One problem in western Nevada County is that there really is a rather empowered group of "leaders" who are somewhat reticent to let any one else in. I believe it is a fear of loosing control, of not having ownership of the outcome. They really need to loosen up a bit, get out of their position of empowerment and open their minds to some new ideas. There are a lot of people that really want economic development to work, and many of them are just average citizens who have a strong set of values about creating a great community. They are not outsiders, they are the real insiders.

Jeff is providing a valuable service.

Steve Frisch