Wednesday, December 13, 2006
sanctimony
I had C-Span2 on while getting ready for work today. I like it sometimes because I can have it on and still cook, get dressed, tidy up, knit or whatever. Plus, it's like seeing original art instead of reprints in that they broadcast meetings and conferences which, if reported at all in print media or online, are usually summarized and not thoroughly. This morning's conference was about "minority thinking" in journalism. The word "minority" didn't mean non-white (refreshingly) but non-mainstream, so my interest was piqued. Participants from both mainstream and small outlets voiced varied and articulate viewpoints. The Eisenhower Foundation hosted, and may have an agenda of its own, but what I heard discussed was the idea that journalism schools won't increase minority percentages (either people of color or non-mainstream thinking) in practicing journalism simply by spending more money, because outlets (newspapers, television stations, electronic media, etc.) must take a larger share of the responsibility. It's true and vital - and I was excited to hear it stated so bluntly in a visible, large and socially-acceptable forum. On the other hand, one speaker referred to "real journalists, you know, not bloggers" which served to dampen the good points considerably, not to mention my optimism. What logic allows one to advocate non-mainsteam people and thought while championing elitism for training and production?
Labels: reflections
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