That Girl from Derwent dwells on the value of religion this Christmas.
That Girl from Derwent has learned a few more things about prejudice since moving up North.
That Girl From Derwent reckons if you're going to be offensive, you should find a better reason.
That Girl from Derwent considers why it is that some words have wider implications than others.
People more experienced than I have said that the British press is not what it used to be. For one reason or another, perhaps the rise of new media or a shift in people’s interests, its focus is less on reporting the news, and more on analysis, opinion, and general waffle.
Now, as the blogs editor of a student publication, I of course see the worth of this “general waffle”. A balanced opinion article from someone who is well-informed can shed a lot of light on a contentious issue; it could educate the ignorant or create debate - both are consequences which make the piece worthy of the paper it was printed on. The Times’ Libby Purves is a favourite of mine, as is The Guardian’s Charlie Brooker, if you were wondering.
What fails to grab my attention in a positive way, however, are waffling, self-indulgent writers who go under the guise of being journalists. Their articles are usually an egotistical off-loading about virtually any aspect of their lives, interesting or not. And they’ve clearly very much enjoyed spilling their luke-warm, stinking opinions all over the page, without a care for the eye of the reader.
What fails to grab my attention in a positive way, however, are waffling, self-indulgent writers who go under the guise of being journalists.
Take food critics, for example. Well-known and well-respected restaurant critics usually have a substantially-sized column at least once a week to give a coherent critique of a meal, doubtless paid for by the newspaper. Yet it is only by the final paragraph that there is any mention of food. Before then you have to wade through anecdotes about their girlfriend, travel experiences, views on immigration or simply if they've ever been to the area the restaurant is located in. By the end you feel as if you’ve been used; you’re simply interacting with the article for the author’s ego-boosting ends.
Newspaper columnists who think their opinions on any topic (although these topics typically include ‘Broken Britain’ or ‘celebrities’) deserve a 150 word write-up are not much better. Grouping together lots of tiny articles on one page does not make a comment piece, mainly because of the shallow fashion in which the subject matter is treated.
And if we look for examples of journajizm closer to home, Nouse has a delightful offering just here.
With the increase of new media, blogging has become more and more popular. Despite this being a veritable hot-bed of amateur jounalists’ excitement, I am completely in favour of it. It’s in a place where I don’t have to see it if I don’t want to, and it's not pretending to be something it isn’t.
In fact, perhaps all the aforementioned writers should be locked safely away in the blogosphere where they can expel their opinions to their hearts' contents. Or at least until they're sore.
The writers of Nouse being particularly guilty of such supposedly 'journalistic' nepotism.
Lol! love the link to HJF... brilliant...
The best part of the HJF blog was the picture. It's a shame we can't all do what he has done though; it sounds quite theraputic.
People do...but it's called a diary... in which case, the only person who cares is the only person who reads it.
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