Post- 4 Why Can't Everyone be a Professional?

 Why Can't Everyone be a Professional?

One of the biggest questions in today's digital age of non paper newspapers and "professional" bloggers, is who is actually a journalist? In the old days a Journalist would be someone who wrote for a newspaper. Usually a journalist would write for an established paper small or larger. However with the rise of the internet and space for ordinary folks to express their opinions, suddenly everyone has become a journalist, photographer, videographer, model etc. The professional world and armature world has been divided by a fine line.

 In Clay Shirky’s “Everyone is a Media Outlet” he explains that mass amteurazation occurs when armatures or ordinary people learn to use technology that was only at one time available to professionals.  In “Everyone is a Media Outlet” Shirky’s uncle, a owner of a small local Newspaper is afraid of US Weekly taking away his readers, but what he should have feared is the rise of the internet and what would come with it. 

Matt Drudge for example, a blogger who produces "news" on a site he calls the Drudge report is one of these so-called amateur professional bloggers. Drudge reports on political news but not in a fashion that a well trained professional would report. He became famous after breaking the story on Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. Drudge was not the first person actually have the scoop on the scandal but was the first person to release the story. Michael Isikoff a professional journalist for Newsweek did all of the work to on getting the story only to have it turned down by an editor.

                                                   

For professionals in the field the Clinton story was a risk to publish, considering that the presidents reputation was at stake and the reporter did not have reliable sources. Any professional knows that in reporter your sources are everything and one simple screw up could cost a journalist their whole career. For Matt Drudges the rules didn't matter. Shirky describes the professional members as gatekeepers that make the rules to provide desirable social functions with the professional group.       

 But what happens when regular untrained people are doing what a professional does without the rules? The line between amateur and professionals gets thinner and for on lookers who may not know the difference everyone who looks like a professional is a professional. And Politicians like Trent Mott are not safe from the “outlaw journalist”.  In everyone is a media outlet Shirky describes how Trent Mott’s speech at a birthday celebration turned into him being bashed for being a raciest.  Bloggers took to the web and revealed that Mott’s support for the old president candidate, Thurmond revealed that he supported Thurmond view on race and segregation.

Main stream media decided that they would not cover the story as they decided that “the remark did not fit the template of staple news”.  For “outlaws” however, Gossip is News, anything that can get them a click on their blog is news. Drudge was found guilty of this when he published a story that was completely false. If Drudge was properly trained as a journalist, he would know to always triple check his sources. Unfortunately for him, he was not trained and his built up reputation and credibility took a hit when he published an article that was completely false.

Rule number one in journalism- Check your sources. Rule number two, check your sources. And rue number three, check your sources and be objective when checking your sources. Matt Drudge who is openly against Obama leaped at a chance to publish a story that could have destroyed Obama’s campaign. The only problem is that he did not check his sources. Drudge ran a story about a white woman that was beat up by Obama supporters and branded with a B in her face. The story turned out to be a lie made up by the woman and her friends to try and destroy Obama’s reputation.  Of course Drudge’s reputation took a hit but it wasn’t long before Drudge was back on his computer posting “news”. There weren’t any bosses for him to report to, not real consequence, nor did he face being fired. Drudge probably sits on a computer at home in his pajamas reporting to the world.   

                                          Drudge's story went rival because it was controversial but untrue

What does this mean for journalism? Well one thing is for sure is that we are in trouble. This dynamic has created a world where professionals are competing with amateurs. Yes, it is great that amateurs can compete with professionals and have a chance to make it big. However the tables have turned professionals are competing with rookies for mouse clicks. And to compete with rookies professional are losing some of their social standards and putting out poorly sourced material, gossip news, and just pure trash. Just recently New York Post issued an apology for incorrectly naming someone as a suspect in the Boston Bombing.   

                               

                           One of the Bag Men killed himself afraid he would be labeled a terrorist

Bibliography:

Shirky, Clay. "Everyone is a Media Outlet." Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. 24 Feb 2009. 

Drudge, Matt "Drudge Report Archives" <.http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2002/01/17/20020117_175502_ml.htm>

Haugney, "Christine New York Post Face Suit Over Boston Bombing Article" <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/business/media/new-york-post-sued-over-boston-bombing-article.html?_r=0>