Comments on: It’s Not Easy to Be ‘Ashamed to be a Journalist’ http://pjmedia.com/blog/its-not-easy-to-be-ashamed-to-be-a-journalist/ Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:21:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: AST http://pjmedia.com/blog/its-not-easy-to-be-ashamed-to-be-a-journalist/#comment-148324 AST Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:06:11 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/?p=38493#comment-148324 My suggestion: call yourself a reporter or commentator, not a journalist. It may seem silly, but "reporter" describes someone who reports, i.e. relates facts completely and clearly. Commentator describes someone who comments. What does "journalist" describe? Someone who keeps a journal which is a fancy name for a diary. "Journalist" is a highfalutin term that demeans those he is supposed to serve. I remember the late Mike Kelly saying that he preferred "reporter" and he didn't think of being in a press a "profession" because professions require some sort of entrance exam and enforceable rules of ethics. A real reporter has nothing to be ashamed of, but one who disguises commentary as reporting should be ashamed. My suggestion: call yourself a reporter or commentator, not a journalist. It may seem silly, but “reporter” describes someone who reports, i.e. relates facts completely and clearly. Commentator describes someone who comments. What does “journalist” describe? Someone who keeps a journal which is a fancy name for a diary. “Journalist” is a highfalutin term that demeans those he is supposed to serve.

I remember the late Mike Kelly saying that he preferred “reporter” and he didn’t think of being in a press a “profession” because professions require some sort of entrance exam and enforceable rules of ethics. A real reporter has nothing to be ashamed of, but one who disguises commentary as reporting should be ashamed.

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