I've got a secret

One of the best things about being a journalist is knowing about news before anyone else. Well, almost anyone else. Often it's someone who's part of a story who knows the news first, but he or she is taking it for granted that what they know or what they are planning to do will become a story.

The one I have in mind is almost certain to become a story.

Now, things are different than five, even 10 years ago. First, the explosion of the web made real time news imperative. And I like that. With social media, it's a whole new game and we seem to be making up the rules as we go along. But there will always be stories that are not ready for real time and the one I have in mind fits that bill.

For one thing, even though we have the facts in order, the actual news hasn't occurred yet. But, there is an aspect of it that makes it tempting to report. Reporting it now won't further that story; it could unintentionally shape it, and we'd never want to do that.

However, it's still tempting to share what we know now. After some careful thought, I still think it's best to let things take their natural course and plan for in-depth, rather than real-time reporting.

Of course, if the natural course flows a certain way, there's noting stopping us from doing both. We'll just have to see.

Journalists

I remember when it seemed really cool, exotic even, to think that there's actually a job in which someone is a reporter. Now, I've always been a film buff and growing up there were so many classic films and stories revolving around reporters that didn't glamorize the job so much as make it seem important.

That hasn't changed.

It doesn't matter if you're covering the town council or school board, local fund drives, political campaigns or a war. There are readers on all levels and knowing a reader has invested his or her time in the story, well that makes it important.

I'm thinking about this because in the past couple of days I've had conversations with grizzled editors, mid-level reporters, cubs and recent college graduates who want to be reporters. At least a couple of times a year I meet a kid, someone in elementary or middle school who says he or she wants to be a reporter. They think it's cool. They love to write. They're nosey about things they've heard about, but don't understand.

Knowing that there are always going to be stories that need to be told, stories people want to know about, shenanigans by public officials, lies to debunk and a democracy that hinges on the public's right to know, I just know that there will always be a home for journalists, excuse me, reporters, in the country.

Not a big enough home, mind you, and media consolidation has caused a Draconian downsizing (man, I would love to see private investors start up news companies, print and online so there are as many independent outlets as there are corporate owned; funny thing - newspaper owners used to be happy to break even, let alone make some money. Now, any profit doesn't seem to be enough when you have shareholders and a board of directors to please). Hopefully, though, the really talented ones and the hungry ones who may not be as talented, but still "get it" will have the chance to make a living doing this good, essential work.