I don't claim to be an expert on how to be a great journalist, but after nearly nine years in the business, I'd like to think I know a few things. If I could offer one piece of advice to the young folks out there who want to enter this field (whether TV or newspaper or other), it would be this: value being right over being first.
It's great if you can be both. Ultimately, being both right and first should be your goal. Those who can do both consistently are at the top of the industry. However, in today's fast-paced media world, there are some who would rather be first and apologize later if they turn out to be wrong. I can't really pick out a specific person who does this, but it does happen too often. Most of the people I've come across do their jobs the right way. There have been instances lately, however, when someone trying to throw something out there first has created quite a mess.
The worst example of this recently was when a Penn State blog was posted that Joe Paterno had passed away. Someone at CBSSports.com saw that and posted it on their site, and word spread through Twitter and the internet like wildfire. CBSSports.com ended up with egg on their faces when the family had to come out and say that Paterno was still alive and fighting for his life. Paterno died the next day, but that doesn't change the fact that some bad information added stress and anxiety to an already difficult time for Paterno's family. One extra phone call (from either the blog or CBSSports.com) to confirm Paterno's passing would have avoided that. Someone, though, had to be first.
Everyone involved issued apologies for getting the story wrong, but the damage was done to both the sites and to the Paterno family.
That's the big problem with the Twitter-era of journalism: all information travels fast, including bad information. Once you put a tweet out there, it's out there and you really can't take it back. You can try to delete it, but it just takes a couple people to see it and run with it. This past fall, a television station in Kansas tweeted erroneously that Mack Brown was retiring after the season. A few hundred retweets later, Mack Brown had to be asked about it and laugh at how ridiculous the report was.
The recent Ryan Braun situation was similar, but not exactly like the previous two. It's more about some irresponsible person leaking information that should not have been leaked. Again, the information spread quickly. Once someone heard from a source that the NL MVP tested positive for drugs, the race to be first with the news was on. Ryan Braun fell under the "cheater" label before all the facts were in. I can't blame any media outlet for running with the story, however. MLB suspending Ryan Braun for 50 games was a fact, and there was no harm in reporting it. The problem was more that all the facts were not in. Braun's name is now cleared (for the most part), but I'm sure several people will continue to look at him with skeptical eyes.
So, kids, if you're going to enter this field, go right ahead if you're passionate about it. Don't be afraid to chase and confirm controversial stories, because they can really build your reputation and put you on the fast track to success. Just make sure you are right before you run with a story and toss it out there on Twitter or blogs or wherever. Way too many out there fail to do so, and that needs to stop.
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