7.00 Reporter's Notebook

           Before taking this class, the first thing that popped up into my head when I thought about journalism was the image of a nosy reporter with a distinct voice, shoving his or her microphone in the faces of celebrities and public figures while bombarding them with intrusive questions. Sometimes I thought of professional writers for a large, famous corporation such as the New York Times, but not nearly as much as the former. I knew it was about informing the public of something in some way, but I thought a huge part of it was “getting the inside scoop” and sensationalizing everything. My mother is a fan of reading the tabloids, and based on all the shallow headlines and stories I glanced at, I viewed the press as somewhat annoying and didn't think much about the multiple sides of journalism. I assumed most journalists were opinionated in their writing and reporting, especially in things that involved the media or politics. It was because of those misconceptions that I had never considered journalism as a rewarding career.

           Since then, my impression of journalism has certainly changed. Although I learned that the purpose of a true journalist is to correctly inform the public and state facts, but what classifies as a “true journalist” varies. A journalist isn't always someone who works for a large corporation and has a plethora of experience under their belt. I learned that anyone can be a journalist as long as they have a story to tell, and write with an open, honest, and objective mind. And although writing is a common form of journalism, it isn't the only one. Journalists are photographers. Journalists are news reporters, magazine columnists, and radio broadcasters. The teen blogger on tumblr who wrote an article about body image is a journalist also. I learned that ethics are extremely important in journalism and the kind of unprofessionalism I've seen from some reporters on television is not commonplace or tolerated, and reflects negatively on their company and career as a whole. I still do not plan on becoming a journalist because I rather invent my own stories than report on others without expressing myself; however, this class has instilled in me a great respect for journalism. I believe the future holds endless possibilities for the journalist field, and journalism will continue to evolve along with the rest of the world. 

6.00 Reporter's Notebook

           For as long as I can remember, I've been subscribed to Seventeen magazine---and I’m not even seventeen yet! Perhaps it was the fabulous fashion tips, amazing true stories, and the fact that they use real, un-photoshopped girls as their models and celebrate diversity that attracted me; but it was the inspiring letters from the editor-in-chief and writer, Ann Shoket, that kept me reading issue after issue each month. In an interview, she recalled having starting off her career as an intern at Rolling Stone magazine. She worked on the business side more than the journalism side, and spent her internship there promoting the magazine. Though she enjoyed her time at Rolling Stone, she felt it wasn't for her and moved on. Her first real job once she graduated college was The American Lawyer, a trade magazine about the business of law. There she learned how to be a reporter from the best in that time period. Before becoming editor in chief of Seventeen in 2007 however, she was senior editor of CosmoGIRL! magazine. It’s evident that Ann has a lot of experience in this industry. Even before her career took off, she was interning at Rolling Stone, one of the most popular magazines in the U.S.

           As previously stated, Ann Shoket now works as editor-in-chief for Seventeen magazine. Unlike her previous endeavors, she doesn't just work for the magazine but runs things; those things being all departments of the magazine. An editor-in-chief’s job consists of exactly what the title implies---editing. They check for mistakes in writing and decide what goes into (and what gets taken out) of the magazine. She is responsible for basically all editorial aspects of publication. In my opinion, she’s at the top of her career. Not because of her title, but because of her success and achievements. 

5.00 Reporter's Notebook

1. What are your thoughts on writing in general? Describe your impression of the written word and its importance in the world. Explain how you feel about writing, personally.

Writing has always been a large part of my life, since the time I learned to read. Unlike most children, it wasn't the pictures in the books that captivated me, but the words that spin the story. Even though children’s stories were made short and simple for my young mind to comprehend, I was still inspired to write thanks to them. In my mind, writing does more than tell a story or send a message; it inspires others. It can give them that motivation to make a change in their life, to take a simple idea or concept from something they read somewhere, and make it real. Writing is a form of art; the only difference being it paints its picture with words.

Of course, that’s just my personal opinion, but I’m sure others can agree that it’s an important part of everyday life as well. In order to be successful in life, communication is not just necessary but needed. Writing is a form of communication. Without written word there would be no spoken word, and then there would be no communication or basic human life. Without it, there would also be no way of learning our history. Nearly everything we know about how humanity came to be, our struggles, and what life was like for us in the past is from ancient artifacts and writing. If the people of ancient civilizations never carved their stories into stone, we might have never known they existed. I like to think that it’s their way of ensuring that their way of life was not forgotten through time.

2. Is it truly possible to write impartially? Analyze what you know about credible news reporting and compare that with what you know about human beings. Explain your thoughts about whether reporters can remain completely impartial in their work.

I believe that it is possible to write impartially, but certainly not easy. Every person on the planet has some sort of bias whether they choose to admit it or not, and everyone has an opinion whether or not they choose to reveal it. I think that the key to writing impartially is having an opinion, but choosing to not reveal it in their word choice or tone. Writing is indeed a form of self expression, and it can be hard to expresses something without a trace of opinion. But if a writer or journalist can separate themselves from a story or situation entirely, or even try to step out of themselves and view something from different perspectives, then impartial writing can be achieved.