So You Want to be a Journalist

It’s a question I’m often asked. And it’s a difficult one to answer, which is … ahem … my way of saying I don’t have a definitive response. 

Is journalism for you? 

Journalism is a challenging profession that demands curiosity, originality, and a commitment to truth. Reporters must navigate ethical dilemmas, protect sources, and resist external pressures while maintaining objectivity and integrity. The profession requires resilience, critical thinking, and a willingness to confront powerful institutions, all while striving to inform the public accurately.

It depends on many things, so I’ll list some of the key issues. Think of it as checklist. And keep in mind, this is only a partial list … here we go!

Are you curious about facts — or vague conspiracy theories?

Are you original? Or, do you simply follow the popular narrative? In simple terms, are you a voice or an echo? People deserve more than surface-level news coverage. 

Do you want to hear more than one side? More than two points of view? How about three? 

Can you communicate clearly without drama?  

Soldiers, firefighters and police officers sometimes put their lives on the line. As a reporter, would you?

Would you ever swear allegiance to a foreign power? Because in Canada, RCMP officers and judges must do that. Your loyalty is to your audience, not to your country, company or your editor.

Are you willing to start out at poor pay? Say, slightly above what you’d earn at McDonalds? 

Here’s a strange one. Do you have an “inferiority complex?” Many people in radio and TV do. 

Are you a critical thinker or a cheerleader? Most people are cheerleaders. Real reporters aren’t.

Your loyalty and sense of fair play will be tested by outside pressures: job security, mortgage and car payments, maintaining a home. Those pressures can make principles expensive. You’ll have choices to make. Good luck. 

There are always elephants in the room. Your job is to point them out — without taking sides.

Being a reporter makes having public opinions tricky. Opinions can become trap doors. No matter what you say, someone will say you’re biased or misinformed Practice not only being neutral, but being private as well. Have you tried to assemble a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing — and no picture on the box? Welcome to journalism. Some reporters can complete a small section of the puzzle but never see the whole picture. Don’t be one of them. 

Are going to cut through the noise, or become part of  it? 

Do you plan to use your reporting career as a  springboard to a better paying job — say, in public relations? Many journalists have gone that route for economic reasons.  If that’s your plan from the beginning, journalism  probably doesn’t need you.   

Avoid cliches like the plague — yes, I know what I just did there — and don’t get trapped by fashionable labels or causes. A reporter who can be easily played isn’t much use to anyone. If you’re worried about safety and the risks that come with thinking outside the box, etc — but still want to be a reporter, consider sports. 

You’ll travel more, you’re less likely to “step on toes” and it’s generally a safer beat. You might even get free meals and game passes.

Would you accept a junket that discourages you  from revealing the true cost of an assignment — especially when it’s funded by an entity with a vested interest? 

Think military or entertainment junkets. 

Freebees aren’t free. Sometimes you pay with your reputation.

When you produce a news story based on a media  release, keep in mind that the release was probably written by a former reporter. There’s a reason it sounds convincing.

Manipulation is part of the media game. Expect it. It’s everywhere in life, of course, but painfully abundant in journalism. Reporters must deal with it every day.

Your work as a reporter is critically important. Lawyers, judges, law enforcement officers — and reporters — are held to a higher standard. Act like it. Don’t sell out. 

Remember names.

You’re entering a profession where trust and respect   are in short supply. Know that going in. Give your readers, listeners and viewers a reason to trust your journalism. Stay true to yourself.

The truth can be ugly. Know what’s uglier? Lying about it. Or sugar-coating it.

Protect your sources. Police may want to know whom you talked to; they’ll want to seize your Been there. 

I’ve had to deal with several search warrants. 

Other Reporters — including competitors — may ask for  names and phone numbers so they can pursue the same story. Before you hand anything over, enquire if they’re willing to give credit. Some people don’t give credit. Watch out for parasites.

There was a time when smoking, drinking and dope were a part of the reporter’s lifestyle — ways of coping with “job stress.” Today, not so much. Do your best to remain in the real world.  

Do you keep your word? Please do, if you want to be a reporter people trust. The world already has enough cheap talk and bullshitters. 

At some point in our lives, we’re all cheerleaders. Tone that down if you’re a reporter. Especially if you’re a sports journalist!

Protect your sources! I never left important names and phone numbers where they weren’t secure. Don’t be too free about handing them out to other media people. If you do, make sure you get credit.

Police may come knocking with search warrants, looking for your material. Keep sensitive information secure and separate. Poolice have the resources to conduct their own investigation. Let them. 

When I was at the CBC, I put my cell and home numbers on my business cards, along with my work number. I told those I interviewed that I was available 24/7. It was rarely abused. That’s how you build trust.

Any journalist who does stories that threaten the status  quo should assume that powerful institutions may take an interest. Watch what you put in emails and what you say on the phone. And if you think government agencies never monitor   journalists, file a Freedom of Information request. Then have a look at what’s redacted. 

Don’t allow yourself to be compromised.

Image and branding matter, especially to large corporations. Executives know that corporate sleaze always has a face They don’t want it to be theirs.

Be skeptical — but don’t become cynical. There are plenty of people genuinely trying to make this world a better place. It’s a balancing act.

Don’t give in to the assholes. But don’t overlook the good people either.

Beware of “artificial balance.” That’s when reporters present two sides of an issue as equally credible even when the evidence shows otherwise. 

 It’s sometimes called “bothsidesism.”

  Fairness does not require pretending nonsense is fact. 

Don’t work for a media company that is financially or morally bankrupt. 

 It got that way for a reason. 

Life’s playing field isn’t always level. Neither is journalism’s. You’ll encounter power, bias, institutional pressure, and ordinary human weakness.

Learn to recognize all of them.

Get a sense of what’s happening around you. 

Make it a habit to “read the room.” 

And always remember …

TRY BEING INFORMED INSTEAD OF JUST BEING OPINIONATED.

From the Book, “Dog in the Forest,” Volume 2.

The Author

Byron ChristopherWikipedia