“When unpaid bloggers are doing a better job of covering the news than professional journalists, it sort of explains everything.” [Buckeye McFrog, post 41]
The “professionalization” of journalism may have been its death knell. The requirement to attend “J School” and earn a college degree before a publication would hire them seems to have turned many aspiring journalists into condescending snobs. Or naïve do-gooders who yearn to “make a difference.” Either way, they look down on “lesser” Americans. Back when the job title was “reporter,” it was more of a working-class occupation and writers had a better understanding of who their audience was. It’s easy to see in articles by guys like Ernest Hemingway and Ernie Pyle.
Celebrity worship may play its role too. Bunches of young pups watched as praise, notoriety, and riches were heaped on Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. They headed straight to journalism school, wanting to be Woodward & Bernstein.
Heck, these days Woodward & Bernstein wish they could be Woodward & Bernstein all over again.
I agree with you. Journalism schools have instilled 100% groupthink in people who cover the news. So they begin to miss really obvious things.
If I owned a newspaper I would seek out people from various walks of life to work for me as reporters. J School grads need not apply.