Are we there yet? Have we finally arrived at the realization that the world’s journalists don’t need a j-school degree and newspaper experience to be considered a journalists?
If you’re still teetering on the edge, start first by watching Jon Stewart’s skewering of CNBC analysts:
You can read the play-by-play of the segment as relayed by Columbia Journalism Review, which post-show said Stewart “(with the help of his writers, of course) is the most incisive cultural critic in the land. Period.”
Time to Get Journalisty
You’re going to read a lot about this segment, and will probably see this video passed around Facebook and Twitter accounts for next few days. What you shouldn’t overlook is the analysis of why what Steward did was so fantastic.
For that, turn to the Huffington Post – YES, THE HUFFINGTON POST, which provides some analysis on how John Stewart’s story calling out CNBC’s reporting resonates so strongly.
Here’s some of their quick points:
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- Great research trumps good access to the powerful
- The American public is mad as hell right now, so why isn’t the mainstream media?
- Tear down this wall…of pretending that the media itself isn’t a major player in American society, and isn’t a factor in most big stories
- The American public is mad as hell right now, so why isn’t the mainstream media?
What To Do Next
Stop hating. For realz. Not that all of you are, but some of us have to remember that anyone can commit acts of journalism. And sometimes the people without the big degrees and background can make a bigger impact on society.
The Huffington Post highlighted a comment on the Romensko blog: “it’s simply pathetic that one has to watch a comedy show to see things like this.”
Really? Why is that?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Yeah, but that’s satire, not journalism. Notice how the Daily Show just takes the slice of video they need to make the point, without context? That’s something that no journalist would ever be allowed to do.
It’s a very funny beat-down of a piece, but I wouldn’t go so far as to hold it up as great journalism.
Agreed. You are right, it’s not the greatest piece of journalism to hold up.
But I think even if it were satire, it has some news value. The point I’m going after is “real journalism” is all relative. To be a “real journalist” or preform “real journalism” you don’t have to work for a newspaper, or even be on a TV show. Journalism is not necessarily something reserved for only people writing newsprint. It belongs to everyone, including comedians.
I agree that a journalism degree is not required to report news and information and lead a community. But, a copy editor could have caught that you spelled Jon Stewart incorrectly, as “John Stewart.” http://www.thedailyshow.com/
@sonyanews Haha. Agreed. Fatal Error Fail on my part :)
The staff at the Daily Show is the most accomplished I have seen. Yes, they joke, but the material presented is most times right on. They do their homework by checking on past comments and decisions. If you want to know what Bush said for four years on one issue, you can see it in revealing video clips. Under the protection of “comedy” they can search and reveal the truth which is many times hidden by most media. This show is for those who have some sense of reality and a good sense of how the people are not getting what they are paying for from DC. Get off Stewart’s back. I like what he says. What we need is the “truth” not excuses. That’s what we get from that show.