Two parter

Rex Smith, editor of the Times Union, wrote a column about speaking at a journalism school in New York - and he shared his two of advice for young journalists which I thought was worth sharing:

First, we can teach them that somewhere in the morass of spin and distortion and misunderstanding, a picture of what's true can emerge, and that there is no higher value than helping people understand the truth, however hard it may be to find. We can remind them that most problems in journalism occur when reporters aren't energetic about pursuing a story and when editors settle for a half-finished report. Good journalism, they should learn, is relentless.

Second, we can stress that while opinions are interesting, more valuable journalism emerges from independent intellects that fight the sway of others' persuasion. The journalism of affirmation that is gaining popularity, gathered and presented with a point of view in mind, reinforces a target audience's preconceptions. It's as nourishing to the civic enterprise as potato chips are to the body. We need to underscore for students that there's a higher value to the journalism of verification, which seeks to find and report what's true.

It may sound like a lecture -- like something an old guy would pass along to a bunch of young people. Well, what can I say? It's a suit talking, hoping there's some value that may survive into a decade too distant to see.