2 posts tagged “j-school”
In journalism school we talk a lot about the First Amendment. We ponder what it means, who it protects, how it affects our business. We think about what we would do if we were, say, prevented by the police in the middle of a protest at the U.N., and imagine what it will be like when we are real live paid journos. Frankly, the theoretical chatter feels like blowing a lot of hot air and a frustrating waste of time. I just want to get out there and report and see if journos really do make a difference.
Then I listened to Ron Suskind the other night for 2 precious hours, one of the most inspiring speakers I have heard. He is my new favorite person, mainly because his sense of humanity--extended, with humor, even to the bad guys. He reminded us why journalists are important.
Foremost, he said, journalists seek the truth.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"We have a special endeavor that was recognized by the founding fathers," he said. "They understood that journalists are necessary for democracy. We carry a banner. If it means going to jail, go.
"When anything works, in life, in any relationship, it's because of truth. Trust truth. It's what works."
'"Beauty is truth, truth beauty. That is all/Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'
"The arch of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice. The arch doesn't bend on it's own. People of courage and shared purpose grab it and pull it with all their might."
Since my last woefully distant entry at the beginning of the summer, I have accomplished a lot... I packed up my Laurel Heights home of three years, sold all my furniture, bade farewell to my dear San Francisco friends and moved to New York City.
As my friend Ari astutely summed up: my new life is a flashback, party of one.
After ten years in the professional world making an income and climbing various ladders (although my ladders always seemed to progress latterally?!) I am back in the classroom. I started graduate school at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism last week and I have spent the last two weeks learning how to build a kick-arse website from my tech savvy professors Duy and Russell (who wrote the book on Flash--literally, his books are the first to pop up on Amazon), dining out, going to a Yankee's game, cruising off of Oyster Bay, playing pool with my new classmates, buying a combination lock for my school locker and slowly sharpening my mind after a summer of blissful sloth. I am loving almost every moment of being immersed in a world where journalism is our shared religion.
For example, last night, Brian Ross spoke to our class about how the ABC online site, Blotter, broke the Mark Foley page scandal story. It took 48 hours for Foley to resign after Ross phoned the chief of staff and asked about incriminating IM's. Editors chose not to include the more lascivious (and interesting!) IM's in their stories, but Ross brought in a sheaf of printed emails that were the real deal... Foley trying to hit on 16 year old high school lacrosse players and trying to sound hip and youthful ("are you horny?cool."), the result of which was, naturally, to betray how pathetic and creepy he is. My point is that I got to read the actual evidence that drove a story that captured the horrified attention of the country, launched ABC's online presence and ended a political career.
While I luuurve San Fran, I've been happier and more stimulated in the last three weeks in New York than my last three months at home and being a student is a fantastic gig.
