Face it, newsrooms need young journalists.
Whether we're there to offer a youthful perspective on the news, to go all out on a story or, frankly, as cheap labor, many of the nation's newsrooms thrive on the work of young journalists. We have energy, passion, and commitment.
Young people have always existed in newsrooms, both large and small. There are countless people who have excelled long before they hit 40. Many of the industry's leaders were sold on this business before they could buy alcohol.
That's just as it should be.
Like any organization, newsrooms depend on new blood and the fresh ideas that come with it. We can offer perspectives on what our peers are interested in. We come with a load of raw talent and we're eager to put that to use.
We know that. So do you.
Yet, when Jayson Blair's deceptions began to unravel in May, many newsroom veterans used his failure to indict these same young journalists. Recently, Michael Gross wrote in an Editor & Publisher column that "young untamed, unskilled writers" are "crack cocaine" to newsroom editors.
(First of all, why do older people always compare anything addictive to crack cocaine? As our peers have pointed out, crack cocaine -– also known simply as crack –- is so 1980s.)
More importantly, Gross underestimates hundreds of young journalists who toil unrecognized and produce quality journalism. Many work for editors who recognize their value. Many do not.
Sitting around a Denver restaurant munching burritos recently, three of us wondered what we could do as young journalists to bolster our falling stock within the industry. We decided to ask our friends to help create a national network of young journalists to exchange ideas, share experiences and offer support.
Would people laugh? Would they be interested? Were we crazy?
We didn't think so, and so far, neither does anyone else.
Within two weeks of sending an e-mail to a few dozen friends, more than 300 journalists signed up to be part of a listserv. The group has had conversations about embedding, foreign reporting, dateline policies, and media ownership.
Our members work as reporters, editors, photographers, and designers across the country at places like The Washington Post, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Waterbury Republican-American, and USA Radio.
These journalists are all under 35 with at least one exception: The Detroit Free Press's Joe Grimm, a favorite recruiter and advocate for young journalists.
This network of young people is a forum for sharing intelligence on everything from job openings to beat writing. We're working to create a website listing contact info for every member so if they're stuck in Wichita covering a tornado or in NYC interviewing, they can find some friendly natives.
Eventually, we would like to hold a weekend conference where accomplished and young journalists discuss everything from how to negotiate newsroom politics to really kicking ass after landing an Omaha bureau chief seat.
We respect the craft of journalism. We do not expect easy breaks and we don't want them.
Diversity in age is important for the same reasons as diversity in race — newsrooms must reflect the communities they cover.It is time for us to step up and help ourselves. Collectively, we have a voice that must be heard to implement ideas that can help our industry bridge the age gap. Diversity in age is important for the same reasons as diversity in race — newsrooms must reflect the communities they cover.
But we can't do it alone. We want to hear from veterans whose work inspired us to become journalists. We want to be mentored and, as Gregory Favre wrote, older journalists want to share their knowledge. It is incumbent upon newsroom managers to encourage a culture where that exchange is valued.
Even as they develop, young people must have some decision-making power to ensure that newspapers and broadcast outlets reach a wide-ranging audience. As media companies struggle to reach the 18-30 demographic, we can offer different perspectives to explain what moves our peers.
Earlier this year, Columbia Journalism Review reported young people are hungry for international news, intensive local reporting, and nuanced analysis. If the industry overlooks this group, we risk losing an entire generation to niche outlets, in online, print, and broadcast.
Young journalists love this craft for the same reasons others do at 40, 50 and 80. We explain the world, we tell people's stories, we examine the government, and we do it with fairness and compassion.
Over time, this network will grow; we hope with the help of our veteran colleagues.
Face it, we need you, too.
[ Do you think young journalists are being shortchanged?
Do you think veterans are being mistreated? ]
Jennifer Medina, Matthew C. Sheehan, Chris Frates, and Elizabeth Aguilera are organizing a nationwide network of young journalists. You can join their listserv by sending an e-mail to youngjournos-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Medina is a reporter at The New York Times and can be reached at jemedina@nytimes.com. Sheehan is an assistant news editor at The Washington Post and can be reached at msheehan@washpost.com. Frates and Aguilera are reporters at The Denver Post and can be reached at cfrates@denverpost.com and eaguilera@denverpost.com, respectively.
