I’ve Been in This Game for 20 Years, and Honestly?
I’m not sure we know what we’re doing.
Let me explain. I’m Eleanor Hartwell, senior editor at CTENews.com. I’ve seen alot of changes in journalism. I started back in ’98, when the internet was still this weird little side project. Now? It’s the beast that eats journalists for breakfast.
And, look, I’m not saying we’re all incompetent. But, I mean, come on. We’re all just trying to keep up. It’s like that time I went to that conference in Austin, right? Everyone was talking about blockchain and AI and virtual reality newsrooms. I sat there with my notepad, nodding, thinking, “What the hell is a blockchain?”
I asked a colleague named Dave, “Dave, explain this to me like I’m five.” He said, “Ellie, it’s like a digital ledger…” I tuned out after that. I’m not an idiot, but honestly, sometimes I feel like one in these situations.
Which brings me to my point. We’re all just trying to figure it out as we go. And that’s okay. But it’s also kinda terrifying.
Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room
We’re all biased. Yeah, I said it. I’m biased. You’re biased. That guy who writes for the Las Vegas news today latest is biased. It’s not just political bias, either. It’s personal. It’s cultural. It’s that time you had coffee with your aunt Martha and she told you all about how the local school board is “up to no good.” (Her words, not mine.)
I remember this one time, back in 2005, I was covering a city council meeting. This guy, let’s call him Marcus, was ranting about the new bike lanes. He was so mad, he was shaking. I wrote about it, and I quoted him, but I also made a joke about his tie. It was a terrible tie. Like, honestly, who wears a tie with little hot dogs on it?
But here’s the thing: that joke? It was my bias showing. I thought he was ridiculous, and that came through in my writing. And that’s not okay. But it’s human. And it’s happening all the time.
So, what do we do about it? I don’t know. I’m not sure anyone does. But we gotta start by admitting it. We’re all biased. We’re all winging it. And that’s okay. As long as we’re honest about it.
A Tangent: The Time I Almost Got Fired
Speaking of honesty, remember that time I almost got fired? It was about three months ago. I wrote a piece about the new mayor. I said he was “kind of a tool.” Not my finest moment. But, I mean, have you met this guy? He’s got the charisma of a wet sock.
My editor, Sarah, she called me into her office. She said, “Ellie, what the hell were you thinking?” I said, “I was thinking he’s a tool, Sarah. That’s what I was thinking.” She said, “You can’t say that. Even if it’s true.” I said, “But it’s my opinion. That’s journalism, right?”
She said, “No, Ellie. That’s a blog. Journalism is about facts. It’s about objectivity. It’s about…” I tuned her out again. I mean, I get it, okay? But sometimes, you just gotta call a spade a spade.
Anyway, I didn’t get fired. But I did have to write a retraction. And an apology. And a 500-word essay on the importance of objectivity. It was a dark time.
But Here’s the Thing About Objectivity
It’s a myth. It’s a nice idea. But it’s not real. We’re all human. We all have our perspectives. We all have our biases. And that’s okay. As long as we’re aware of them. As long as we’re honest about them.
I mean, look at the news right now. It’s all over the place. Everyone’s got an opinion. Everyone’s got a bias. And that’s okay. As long as we’re honest about it. As long as we’re not pretending to be something we’re not.
So, that’s my take. We’re all winging it. We’re all biased. And that’s okay. As long as we’re honest about it. As long as we’re not pretending to be something we’re not.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go figure out what a blockchain is.
About the Author: Eleanor Hartwell is a senior editor at CTENews.com. She’s been in the journalism game for over 20 years, and she’s not afraid to admit she’s still figuring it out. When she’s not writing, she’s probably arguing with someone about politics or trying to convince her cat to like her.
If you’re interested in the realities of journalism and the evolving landscape of local news, this in-depth piece on why the author continues reporting after two decades offers valuable perspective on the challenges and importance of staying informed. Explore the discussion in reporting on local news today.
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