By Books Author Denise Turney
Great journalists help shape the world by digging so deep into real life events, some which world leaders, local politicians and business moguls, prefer kept hidden, that they gain real keys. Some unethical and illegal operators will stop at nothing to protect their image, the very idol that journalists expose. It is most unfortunate that, in 2019 alone, as many as 25 news writers gave their lives in pursuit of truth.
Committee to Project Journalists (https://cpj.org/), Common Dreams (https://www.commondreams.org/) The Center for Investigative Reporting (https://revealnews.org/ ) and Reporters Without Borders (https://rsf.org/en) are among the organizations that work to protect journalists. Their work is necessary. If investigative journalists are silenced, so too could be the truth. It’s why we need more of these effective fact finders.
There would be no Watergate without great investigative journalism. We might not learn about corruption at the local government level. Stories like the Flint, Michigan water crisis and the North Dakota pipeline protests wouldn’t get the widespread attention that they receive were it not for the work of great, probing journalists.
Probing great journalists surface issues before they develop into bigger social storms
During the Civil Rights Movement, it was the investigative writing, the radio shows and probing television journalists that pushed deeply troubling events into the public eye. It was those printed, heard and watched stories that helped to change the conscience of the nation.
During my early years, I was impacted by the works of great journalists like Gwen Ifil, Walter Cronkite, Xernona Clayton-Brady , Ed Bradley and Ebony magazine’s Lerone Bennett, Jr. On Sunday evenings, my family watched 60 Minutes religiously. Ed Bradley covered a story and interviewed influential guests as if the only thing that mattered to him was the truth.
And how I admired Mr. Lerone Bennett, Jr. and the amazing, moving stories that he told about the African American community. He had a rare way of digging into a story and uncovering hidden gems.
Other great journalists who I recall and appreciate are Edward Morrow, Ida B. Wells, Lillian Ross, Michelle Norris, Helen Thomas, Dan Rather and Bernard Shaw. There is also Max Robinson, Maureen Dowd, Diane Sawyer and, of course, the great, W. E. B. DuBois.
Imagine if stories they broke were never shared. How much would we not know?
Springboard off good journalism training
As aforementioned, we need more of these courageous, curious event explorers. We need more truth seekers, truth sharers. If you are thinking about pursuing a career as a freelance writer or journalists, I commend you. I encourage you to be committed to the craft.
Research colleges and universities. Consider college journalism programs that have robust internships, externships and that have established journalists as guest speakers. Be prepared to do the hard work during and after school. You could become one of the greats. You could help to change the world.
I wonder if it’s the knowledge that the work they do can change the world, enlighten and help to awaken, that fuels journalists. The risks are too high for the chance to experience an adrenaline rush to be enough to keep someone on the journalism path. And there are certainly easier, safer, ways to travel. Regardless of motive, I deeply appreciate great journalists’ work.