Welcome to SPJ Blogs Sign in | Join | Help

Tough times for us?

I just read this post on the "Huffington Post."
It discusses the contentious world of journalism today.
The blogger Steven Barrie-Anthony" writes:

"As young journalists, we straddle an interesting divide: we understand well and often trumpet the virtues of traditional journalism, and yet we sheepishly get much of our news online or via The Daily Show. We have MySpace accounts, write blogs and read them, and have come to view Google as an extension of the brain. At this very moment I'm ignoring the advice of a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist friend, who maintains that writing for The Huffington Post without getting paid is a bad use of time and energy. My inky side understands the problem with journalists working gratis -- it devalues the trade -- while another part of me thirsts for the immediacy, the intimacy that this venue provides."

So what do you all think - is this a tough time to be a journalist? Or exciting?
Do you have a MySpace account?
Do you write and read blogs?
Is Google an extension of the brain?

So what do you all think - is this a tough time to be a journalist? Or exciting?
    Yes and yes.
Do you have a MySpace account?
    Yes again.
Do you write and read blogs?
    Yup.
Is Google an extension of the brain?
    Not sure, but it sure works well!
Published Tuesday, June 05, 2007 11:01 PM by SonyaSmith
Filed Under:

Comments

# re: Tough times for us?

Tuesday, June 05, 2007 10:39 PM by ElysseJames
Is this a tough time to be a journalist? Or exciting?
   Yes and yes. (the description of journalism is changing so rapidly, and it's a tough time for the profession in general right now)
Do you have a MySpace account?
   Yes, though I held off for a long while.
Do you write and read blogs?
   Yup.
Is Google an extension of the brain?
   Haha. No, but it has replaced encyclopedias, telephone books, and general book research for most people. It's useful and immediate. Necessary for modern times.

# re: Tough times for us?

Friday, June 08, 2007 1:41 PM by Dale Denwalt II
Is this a tough time to be a journalist? Or exciting?
  Yes and yes. The tough part, and the biggest challenge journalism faces, is ourselves, or more specifically, those who do journalism a disservice. The public hear about bad journalists and make assumptions based upon that premise.

Do you have a MySpace account?
  Yes. It's a way to connect with friends across the country. I try to parse the personal stuff out of it, though.

Do you write and read blogs?
  Yes. Usually on MySpace

Is Google an extension of the brain?
  I don't use Google. Yahoo is better.

# re: Tough times for us?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 4:02 PM by Natalie
Sigh. It IS tough for us. But so exciting, too. There are a lot of things to figure out, like how we fit into the Internet game. It's challenging; I'm trying to stay on top of the game by having an 'online presence,' like how I'm having a Web site built that will link to my work, etc.
I have a MySpace acct; as journalists, I think we can agree that our friends and family are not all in one place. MySpace is a way I can stay in touch with everyone easily. I use my blog as a way to get me writing, to get the creativity flowing and the hands warmed up for typing and get my mind 'in the zone.' At least, that's what I tell myself.
As a freelancer, I use my friends-only blog as a sounding board of sorts, to get an idea of what people react to, to play around with the arranging of information or of an idea... As long as we're aware of HOW we're using it, I don't think the blogging itself will lessen us as journalists.
As for Google? I (heart) Google. There I said it. I do, however, pride myself in knowing how to quickly find words in the dictionary and people in the phone book. I could probably even navigate the Dewey Decimal system if I had to. ;)
Anonymous comments are disabled. Please log in or create an account to comment on this article.