FOR THE RECORD
By Chris Daly
In reply to a deluge of comments, let me state a few points:
--In my commentary on the Post's story about Barack Obama's religion, I intended to focus on what I consider an institutional shortcoming. I did not mean to suggest that there is some minimum age requirement for writing about national politics. As a professor of journalism, I work with dozens of talented young people every year, and I know just how capable they are. I also know that they often need guidance, backgrounding, and careful editing. I regret leaving the impression that people in their 20s are somehow inherently unqualified to cover presidential politics or anything else.
--Like many blogs, mine is a venue for criticism, analysis and commentary. It is not an outlet for reporting or research. I googled Mr. Bacon to begin to address the question, Could experience have been a factor?
--I have learned today that many people have a high regard for Mr. Bacon, and I meant no disrespect to Mr. Bacon personally. In my view, this is not about him.
--I received quite a few comments, and I intend to publish the ones that I think thoughtfully engage the main issue.
--Mr. Obama's first name is indeed spelled Barack.
In reply to a deluge of comments, let me state a few points:
--In my commentary on the Post's story about Barack Obama's religion, I intended to focus on what I consider an institutional shortcoming. I did not mean to suggest that there is some minimum age requirement for writing about national politics. As a professor of journalism, I work with dozens of talented young people every year, and I know just how capable they are. I also know that they often need guidance, backgrounding, and careful editing. I regret leaving the impression that people in their 20s are somehow inherently unqualified to cover presidential politics or anything else.
--Like many blogs, mine is a venue for criticism, analysis and commentary. It is not an outlet for reporting or research. I googled Mr. Bacon to begin to address the question, Could experience have been a factor?
--I have learned today that many people have a high regard for Mr. Bacon, and I meant no disrespect to Mr. Bacon personally. In my view, this is not about him.
--I received quite a few comments, and I intend to publish the ones that I think thoughtfully engage the main issue.
--Mr. Obama's first name is indeed spelled Barack.
posted by Chris Daly at 6:29 PM
8 Comments:
In other words, you intend to publish the comments you like--censoring the viewpoints that make you look bad?
Let me ask you this, what exactly did you mean by repeating the ageist dogma that's dominated this industry for decades?
People over 27 don't need "guidance, backgrounding, and careful editing?"
Age shouldn't be a factor in this discussion at all, but it is because you feel your age, like 90 percent of people in the news business, earns them a special place, no matter their lack of ability or talent.
It upsets me that you're probably passing this ageist attitude on to your students.
The age issue is a distraction Post supporters are using to detract from the central point that the Washington Post today is rushing into print poorly researched, poorly-written screeds. It hasn't been noted, but the Obama profile was part of a series of candidate profiles the Post is running. So after addressing the Obama-is-a-Muslim rumors, how did the Post address the Hillary-is-a-lesbian rumors in the Clinton profile? We all know these rumors are out there, there has been at least one question on the campaign trail relating to it, and they have been printed in at least one British publication. If the Post is printing rumors, then basic fairness requires we have them all detailed for readers to decide. Is Donny Graham playing trying to play Democratic Party kingmaker like his father by this truly peculiar story?
Hmm. Funny how no one was questioning stuff like this 10-15 years ago when the attitude was you needed "experience" to be hired, much less land a juicy beat.
It's just more hypocrisy from an industry that wants to hide behind lies. The truth is newspapers want younger people primarily for the lower salaries. They simply don't have the guts to admit it.
"this is not about him" except that your original post was all about him. This is another example that no matter how obscure a blog is, somebody is always reading. What's ironic is that your point that his Obama story was poorly done was correct. But that got lost in your attacking his age and what seems to be your conflict of interest regarding the Post.
No one at the Post seems to realize the newspaper's own atrocious history of printing rumors. In 1919, the Post precipitated a bloody race riot in Washington by printing a rumor. STOP PRINTING RUMORS.
I'm not sold on your backtrack, Prof. Daly.
You say you "did not mean to suggest that there is some minimum age requirement for writing about national politics." But the exact terms you used were "Since when does the Post assign 27-year-olds to write Page 1 presidential campaign pieces?" and "this is fast-tracking with a vengeance." (based, by the way, on a single piece of writing, not a track record)
It just doesn't match up in my eyes.
Some comments about age:
- I'm in IT and 46 years old,
- Talent can come at any age; experience comes with age AND doing the job. If I stepped into journalism right now, I'd be a bigger n00b than anyone who has commented so far, I'd wager.
- I know little about journalism but a bit about downsizing. Institutions that are downsizing like younger employees because they're cheaper. Yes, the smarter ones try to select for talent, but cost is the overriding factor. In fields where talent is difficult to judge, institutions often fall back on paper-hanging instead of considered judgment.
- Age is also relevant is considering how the assignment was given. I'd've thought that a piece on the #2 contender for the Dem nomination would have gone to someone with more seniority. Since that didn't happen, the two conclusions I come to are:
1. Nobody more senior wanted it, or
2. A 27-year-old guy was the most senior political reporter available at the Post.
Neither one gives me warm fuzzies about Post political reporting.
Prof. Daly:
Its been a long time; sorry no correspondence. But I decided to take the opportunity as I've seen your name in print countless days over this little Post story and I wanted to let you know, no matter how insignificant, I completely agree with your position and can't believe people would spill such vitriol over the item. As a young journalist who has made numerous mistakes and will undoubtedly make those mistakes again and again, I understand completely that a 27 year old covering major political news for one of the largest, most influential dailies in the country is problematic. As a professor, you always maintained that the best young journalists are made by practice--and that practice comes on a small scale, where a budding journalist can strap on his or her boots and really understand the complexities that come with reporting and disseminating information for the readers. Most of the best journalists spent years filing stories about a local lady's 100th birthday and how residents are getting on when 5 feet of snow is dumped on their doorsteps, and certainly were not writing page 1 stories for the post in one of the most massive political elections this country has faced no matter how many "prestigious" internships he or she may have had. No internship is equivalent to actual foot pounding reporting experience.
Secondly, when does a reporter ever make "rumors" newsworthy? You always stuck to the principles and I'm glad you are sticking with them now because it was you that taught me how to strive to be a great journalist and the importance of the teacher-student relationship that should be fostered between editor and reporter.
I just thought I'd send on some words.Hope all is well. You should smile that The New York Times is talking about you so much. Keep up the good work and go easy on the kitties because I know it's grading time.
Happy Holidays.
Best,
Jenna Wolf
COM 2005
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