Journalists work for the readers that are left.
Readers are the reason journalists get up every day to chase leads,
shake down public officials and send their mothers e-birthday cards
because they were too busy waiting for the mayor’s press secretary to
call to go to the store to get a real card.
That is why journalists like readers’ feedback. Be it a phone call,
voicemail, letter, email or a half empty coffee cup thrown at them from
a passing car – journalists want to know what readers think of their
work.
Journalists hardly ever see it as criticism. Quite the contrary.
When a reader insults a journalists’ integrity, knowledge or IQ,
journalists simply view that as positive reinforcement. Journalist
take these notes of encouragement and keep them in a binder to remind
them who they serve when they are at their desk and why they got into
this profession.
Journalists like nothing more than to stagger back into the newsroom
in the morning, not more than six hours after leaving the night before,
to get an email from a reader on the difference between straitjacket
vs. straight jacket – for the record both are correct. Four five
years of higher education can’t even begin to compare to the infinite
value of the feedback journalists get back from their loyal readers
Before the age of the internet, readers actually had to pull out a
pen, pencil and paper and draft their feedback with forethought and
consideration. Now, any idiot reader with access to a library computer has the opportunity to fire off a correspondent to their local journalist.
After a journalist spends seven hours making dozens of calls, pouring
poring over pages of notes and endlessly pounding out a story about
corruption and scandal, it means nothing more than to get an email
pointing out a inane error or overlooked comma. It lets journalists
know readers care. Keep it up.
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Ok if you’re going to write about journalists and have journalists appreciate this blog, watch the editing. “When a reade r insults” has an extra space and “journalists simply view that AS” not has. But also, this is hilariously accurate and I love it. Thanks!
Speaking of inane errors:
“After a journalist spend seven hours making dozens of calls … it means nothing more to to get an email pointing out a inane error or overlooked comma.”
Minor blemishes. Maybe you could use some No. 9 coffee.
speling is opshunal.
nice instinct for the capillary in these comments. your tone is freakin hilarious. i think the comments my readers leave provide a service. for a few seconds it keeps these loons off the streets.