Web Journalist Blog

Yesterday I had the privilege to see the classic 1952 film Deadline, U.S.A. My USC colleague Jack Lerner managed to obtain a 16MM print and showed it to his media law class… he invited me along. I had never seen the film, but, boy, am I glad I did.

I’m a Web journalist… but my career has been with newspapers. I have a newspaper rack in my office (it use to be in my living room). I still find beauty in the broadsheet and there is nothing like ink on your fingers. But I’m a tech geek and think I bridge those two worlds together.

I’ve started to maintain a Tumblr (http://wjist.tumblr.com/) that collect quotes that relate directly or indirectly to journalism… and as I saw this film, there were too many quotes to list.

Thanks to the Interwebs, you can see this film on YouTube… in parts. I highly recommend it. Part II brought me to tears because I was there when the Hearst-own San Francisco Examiner was killed.

Some of my favorite quotes are:

This paper will fight for progress and reform. We’ll never be satisfied merely with printing the news. We’re never be afraid to attack wrong, whether by predatory wealth or predatory poverty.” – In the first edition of The Day

A journalist makes himself the hero of the story. A reporter is only a witness.” – Jim Cleary

About this wanting to be a reporter, don’t ever change your mind. It may not be the oldest profession, but it’s the best.” – Ed Hutcheson

A free press, like a free life, sir, is always in danger.” – Ed Hutcheson

That’s the press, baby. The press! And there’s nothing you can do about it. Nothing!” – Ed Hutcheson

Get a few more quotes here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044533/quotes

I just have to share — brag — about awesome people for a moment. First off, Mark S. Luckie, the media mogul behind 10000words.net and author of The Digital Journalist’s Handbook whipped up a campaign poster for my bid to be on the ONA Board… obviously on the heels of the whole ‘Evil Man’ bit. It looks freakin’ awesome and want to make a HUGE poster for my office.

I’ve had the privilege of hanging out with David Cohn, aka DigiDave and founder of Spot.us, a few times, but none as fun as our time at ONA10. This guy is genuine and passionate about journalism and you should buy him a drink: Crown Royal on the rocks. He was nice enough to do a quick interview about #wjchat while at the conference.

Will Sullivan, aka Journerdism and 2010-11 Reynolds Institute Fellow, is perhaps one of the smartest, sweetest guys I’ve ever met. Dude is simply rad and is in love with journalism as I am. He had cool campaign pins, with messages like ‘Jnerd 4 life,’ and also has a Facebook ad. Did I mention he’s smart? I hung out with him a bit at ONA and had a blast.

Bonus: He and Dave (also a Reynolds Fellow) are roommates at the moment, and if all goes well, they’ll have a reality TV show Tuesday nights on NBC. Also, dude’s photo is awesome.

Say what you will about Social Media and Twitter, I can not deny the fact that it has introduced me to some incredible people. #wjchat has allowed me to meet such wonderful people, like Robin Phillips, aka RobinJP and Web ME at Reynolds Center. We met virtually earlier this year and finally met in real life just two weeks ago. I can tell you Robin is going to be a true, lifelong friend. She wrote a response to my ‘Jerry Maguire memo to journalism‘ that just blew me away: Open letter to Evil Man, aka Robert Hernandez

In my life, I’ve met a lot of wonderful people… people who, for some unknown reason, grab me by the scruff of my neck and push me forward. Doris N. Truong, Washington Post multiplatform editor and AAJA national secretary, is one of those people. I’ve only know or just over a month, it seems, but she has been an incredible advocate and friend. I’ve missed her since I’ve left D.C.

Photo via Jonathan Dube / @cyberjournalist

WaPo is lucky to have her. Expect good things… not only journalistically, but fashionably too. She made a big splash with her newspaper dress at ONA10.

NOTE/WARNING: If you see us… expect a show. We bicker and fight about everything. So family.

Quite honestly, there is a much longer list here… so many folks that I got to meet in real life and that were so welcoming to me. I’m so grateful for their friendship. I’m a lucky guy… a guy with the awesomeness of friends.</cheesy>

NOTE: This is not a tweet or a Facebook status… I’m not sure who this is for, but it’s something I want to write down and document. So here’s a below-the-radar, stream-of-consciousness post, perhaps written only for me. I decided I need to just own this, and dispense with my reluctance. This isn’t just for me. It’s for “us” trying our best to save and advance journalism.

This morning, I woke up with the monologue I would tell an Executive Editor or Publisher or top decision maker at a news organization if I were ever asked my vision on running a newsroom.

I’d first start by explaining to them that my decision making process, while you may think is tech focused, is driven first and foremost by the love of the community and the complete belief that journalism serves and empowers that community by informing it.

Then I’d share that I’ve obsessively thought about the different fronts of “development” I would embark in if I ran the show… content, tools/technology and revenue… these different ideas in my head, but all in the name of journalism.

I’d naturally get so excited that I would start sketching each one of those categories on a napkin, trying to explain to the person what is in my head.

But then I’d stop… perhaps mid-sentence… put my pen down… look the person in the eye and say:

Look, the biggest obstacle in journalism right now isn’t whether people trust “us” or not. It’s not even the revenue crisis we are all facing and feeling every day.

The biggest obstacle is… you.

[Awkward pause]

Then, if the person hasn’t left the table, I’d say:

I can continue trying to explain these concepts to you, draw my little pictures, employ my weird (often pop-culture drenched) analogies… all to get you closer to understanding these concepts.

Or, you can just admit (and hopefully be okay with) the very strong possibility that you may never really understand.

But, also, realize that it’s not about you… it’s not about you understanding.

That spending time on trying to have you understand, so you can approve, has delayed and hurt us for SO MANY YEARS. We can’t afford that time any more.

Please know that you have a very important role here, but trying to be the visionary when you don’t understand is not that role.

Take that leap of faith by putting your trust in the people who are just as passionate, concerned, obsessed about journalism as you are… trust those “Web people.”

You see, I’d say, that for each category I described, there are amazing Web journalists doing work that is changing our industry, but leadership hasn’t noticed, let alone appreciated it.

In fact, these amazing people are on your staff right now. But, because you don’t understand or approve it, you don’t see it.

These people are getting heart-broken by the missed opportunities and your bad decisions. Don’t buy that vendor’s product, especially if it is a CMS! Stop getting obsessed with the buzzwords you hear at conferences! Stop listening to those hype machine, journo pundits offering bad advice!

Stop it.

Because if you don’t, all I’m doing is drawing on a napkin… is writing a Jerry Maguire style blog post… all we’re doing is just talking. Spending time and energy on you and not on the community.

Stop it. And take that leap… with us.

Next week, I have the honor and privilege to speak to some journalism students at Cal State University, Northridge. They’ve asked me to talk about Web journalism and my career.

NOTE: This is where the journalism stops in this post.

I have to get this out… I don’t know if it’s inappropriate… or TMI… or too whatever… but here goes.

In my life and in my career, I’ve been incredibly blessed. When I stop and think about my roots, my parents, my support network… and where I currently am… a professor… a professor at USC, such a prestigious institution… it is… amazing.

But I did not do this alone.

I get reminders of that all the time… one hit me the first time I walked into this great campus’ food court. And it hit me again realizing that I am going to speak to students at CSUN.

I’m fighting back tears as I type this.

You see… at one point, my mom worked at a pizza joint on the CSUN campus to get by. I had completely forgotten about it until I was ordering food on campus and was speaking in Spanish to the person taking my order.

In a flash I remembered visiting my mom and talking to her co-workers – Latinos also trying to scrap a living. I remember them being supportive of my education and wishing me the best, as they gave me a free slice of pepperoni.

They, like my mom, were struggling so I wouldn’t have to.

I got back to my office and let the overwhelming emotion flow over me. It was intense… my mom’s hard work put her son on the other side of that counter. Not as a student, but as a professor.

I cried like a baby, y’all.

I grew up a few blocks from CSUN. My parents are perfect examples of the American Dream… the good and the bad.

My dad has been running an auto repair shop for more than 30 years. (Y’all, give him your business because like every small business, he needs your support.)

There were times in my life where we had money… lots of it. And there were times in my life where we had none… a whole lot of nada.

But all that struggle… all their sacrifices… put me here. And put a lot of responsibility on my shoulders… one of the many reasons why I got into journalism.

Man, so many different people have done things for me… some things they could never have imagined would have such impact on me. Organizations like NAHJ, CCNMA, ASNE and others. Some institutions like CIIJ, SFSU, LA Pierce Community College.

I am soooooo blessed.

Yeah, yeah, yeah… this is cheesy. Okay, this is a damn cliché. But it’s my reality, y’all. And one I don’t take lightly… especially when I see my toddler growing. He’s going to know my parents’, mi gentes’ and my struggle to advance him.

Because he too, isn’t going to do it alone.

Um…. personal post over. Hopefully this wasn’t too awkward.