Journalism Scouts

Someday I want to start an organization where local kids work together to investigate stories, take pictures, and all the stuff that goes into putting together a newspaper. I'm going to call them Journalism Scouts until I can think of a better name for them.

I want to help them learn to ask questions, to look at the world with open eyes, and share what they learn with everyone. That's really what journalism is about- gathering information and insights and sharing it with the world.

Which is why it's so sad that everybody's gotten so cynical. The media tells us not to trust politicians; politicians tell us not to trust the media. The paparazzi take over more space every day, and nobody cares. Nobody likes to read the newspapers anymore.

I think that the major media outlets need to spend less time doing 30-second long "up-to-the-minute news flashes", which don't make any sense unless you've been watching all of the previous 30 second updates that came before it. They, I mean, we need to spend more time telling actual stories and capturing more people's voices.

Current news is usually coming from things like CNN that are marketed to a huge national, or worldwide audience. All the news stories seem to be about far away places that have nothing to do with where I am. Journalism is meant to inform, but in order to inform someone, you have to get them to read it. That means making people relate to it and entertaining them.

That's the challenge. Are you up for it?

For more dribble about ideal journalism check out the link to "Principles of Journalism" on my Journalism Link list.