Another Viewpoint

The following is an article written by a respected journalist. It was too, too right on to not include in my blog this week.

Posting “News” Stories Doesn’t Make A Journalist

By Jim Kent

“Once upon a time”… I put aside writing to pursue careers in acting and music. To that end I studied at New York City’s Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. I also had the opportunity to sit in with one of Rolling Stone’s “Top 100 Guitarists” for a few lessons.

During our initial conversation, the rocker asked which field I thought was more difficult to break into: music or acting. He felt it was music, since “everyone and his brother” seemed to have a garage band (and things are only tougher now in a world where “anyone” can produce their own CD, You Tube video, etc.).

I agreed, even though acting in this country – then and now – was primarily a “who you know” not “how much talent you have” scenario.

It wasn’t until I returned to pursuing my current career that I learned writing is actually the most difficult of the 3 arts mentioned to succeed in.

To begin with “everyone” learns to write. Even today it’s among the first educational tasks for any child along with learning to read. You need to know how to write in order to get through school. But being able to string words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into term papers or even a college thesis does not a “writer” make.

Notwithstanding, everyone learns to write as opposed to learns a musical Instrument or studies acting. So many who aren’t actually writers consider themselves such and increase – and sometimes flood - the competition for those who are.

I know. It’s a rough world and in the end talent usually wills out…but only usually.

As an aspiring commentator, I quickly realized that this meant I would be competing, literally, with anyone with the slightest degree of name-recognition who had anything to say on any subject. Everyone’s a writer and everyone has an opinion. From politician to businessman to personality to jokester, the key to success was acknowledgement of specialization and expertise in any one area of interest.

And though I was able to get off to a relatively good start with a half-page commentary in U.S. News & World Report offering my “expert” opinion on the U.S. Marine Corps, it was a long and winding road from then to now.

Transitioning from commentator to journalist in the late ‘90s, I was confronted with a situation I hadn’t encountered before: a general attitude that “reporters never get it right” so there’s no need to trust them and, whenever possible, avoid them.

Although I’d been criticized for the opinions expressed in my commentaries prior to this, I’d never been judged due to another’s ineptitude. I quickly made it a point to carry a tape deck with me at all times – even before seguing from newspapers to radio, with the aim of getting names, dates and facts correct.

And though I may not have made a major contribution to journalists – or journalism – as a whole, I’ve prided myself in getting it right most of the time for straight news stories and offering common sense opinions in my commentaries that can generally be understood – even if not agreed with by all.

Enter social media. Where “everyone” was once a writer, now “everyone” is a journalist. Except, they’re not. And “they” might mean “you”.

Reposting information on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or your preferred social media site doesn’t make you a journalist. It makes you a “poster”. Sharing the misinformation that became the frightening norm during the recent presidential campaign – from both sides of the aisle and outside sources – made you a direct contributor to one of the most chaotic political experiences in U.S. history.

Being a journalist isn’t about making your team look like saints and the other team look like demons. It’s about presenting both sides to the best of your ability even if you detest the views of one.

Even commentators have to allow for a certain sense of civility in their writing as well as…oh, yes…verified facts.

So, if you want to play “social media journalist” you need to verify that your “story” is being presented by a real news source, not somebody’s blog or an “on-line news magazine” with a work force of…one.

Check on who’s posting, where they're located, who their staff is and then Google the headline. If you don’t come up with at least 2 mainstream news sources with the same story, don’t repost.

Sharing misinformation with the masses doesn’t make you a journalist; it makes you a dope.

Published on 12/8/16 in the Lakota Country Times

Overheard on the Telephone

"Hello", says the voice over the telephone. "Is this Bob from the Fixit Shop?"

"Yes it is."

"Well, I was wondering if you make house calls. My four wheeler won't start and it needs some assistance."

So now I know that Bob will make house calls to service motorcycles and similar vehicles.

At this point in his new venture I have heard him only hesitate one one item, and that is sewing machines. "They are tricky and I would have to judge each one separately before I make an attempt at repair."

I learn something new each day about my Mr. Fixit. He can repair most anything. He was asked if he works on cars and he refused, saying that there are many car repair businesses in town. He wants to work on items not serviced locally. On the other hand he will do oil changes if someone uses Amsoil since he offers the product exclusively and knows first hand that it is the best synthetic available. On the bitterest of days (which we are having at this time) my car which is parked outside, starts right up. After all, we spent many years enduring the bitter cold days in Minnesota. We came to this Banana Belt of South Dakota well prepared, from the warmest of clothes, well layered, to the cold-resistant oil for all of our vehicles.

Do I have a partner that keeps me going, season through season? No doubt about it!

Cruising for Cookies

Each year during December our Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Cookie Cruise. People sample cookies and hot drinks at each participating store and vote for their favorite cookie. The idea is not only holiday fun for the family, but also to have the cookie travellers see what each store has to offer.

This event coincides with our annual Parade of Lights and other seasonal activities. Bob has not opened up the Wild West Wheels shop yet, but he has opened the back of the store to do repairs on bikes and other small engines. We thought that he would open for the Cookie Cruise last night to let others know what services he offered at this time.

"I'm not in this to make money. I will be happy to break even, but what I want is to provide a service to our locals so that they don't have to travel to Rapid City."

Bob was tired of seeing the empty storefronts in town and decided to invest in a building and do what he does best: service for motorcycles, bicycles and other small engines. His interest has always been in making things better and in the process to help the environment which lately has become a "throw-away society. He believes in using and reusing. Not much has ever landed in the land fill from our home. 

We had many folks stop by with a high interest into what Bob is doing, with requests such as "Do you fix rotor tillers? What about vacumn cleaners?" Today's world is filled with consume, buy and dump. It was heartening to meet folks who want to repair and keep what they have invested in over the years.

Maybe it is our small, rural town with a different mind set than in the urban areas, but whatever the reason, Bob has the opportunity to offer his skills in restoration to our locals, saving them both time and money to travel 60 miles to the nearst large community.

Thanks to the local Chamber of Commerce, many residents had the opportunity to talk with Bob and to discover what his shop has to offer. He is truly the Fix-it-Man for Hot Springs.

Am I proud of my husband? You bet. He is not fighting the battles that surround us. Instead he works quietly to provide a sense of pride to those who choose to repair. He will be teaching the children from the Boys and Girls Club to repair their bicycles that he is storing in his buiiding. He was asked to repair them. "No, bring the kids down here and I will teach them to repair their own bikes."

What is the old saying that goes something like this? "Give a man a fish and he will eat once.. Teach him to fish and that will last him a lifetime."