The journalist

It's not always that easy being a journalist.

I think that sometimes the reader loves to hate us.

On the scale of job prestige, journalists rate right down there with the lowest of the low.

But if you think about it, we don't have an easy task.  


Journalists have to be “experts” at almost every subject you can think of.

If we take on a story with a medical theme we need the expertise of a doctor. The same applies with stories concerning the law, politics, the environment, real estate, motoring, music, mining, the arts (film, literature, drama etc) – any topic you care to mention.

We also have to be psychologists. At times we have people who ring or call into our office who either need or want consoling, just want to talk because they're lonely, or who just want to get something off their chest.

I suppose there are some of us in this game who think they can play all these roles with consummate ease. This is called egotism and it is also something that goes with the territory when you become involved in journalism.

A chief sub-editor of mine once told me that all journalists have huge egos. Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say that, but it is certainly true with a fair percentage of them.

Journalists also have to be mind readers of sorts. Each day, of all the story ideas that come into the office, someone must decide what will or won't be of interest to the reader.

Once that decision has been made, another crops up. Which ones are the most important?

Someone was told me that if the stress doesn't kill you the booze will (well, you need something to help you relax after a hard day of decision-making).

Decisions? Yes, we have to make many. In fact, sub-editors average one every 15 seconds – is the grammar in the story correct? Is that word spelt right? What words will fit into the headline? Should the reporter get a byline? How much space should be allocated to the story? Should a picture go with it?

You get the idea.

Still, it is a profession that, despite the criticism we receive and the pressures of the work involved, many in the game wouldn't swap for quids.

I mean, in what other job would you get so many chances to meet important people, from pop and film stars, to royalty, prime ministers and premiers?

Then there are the “junkets”; free trips to new holiday resorts, or a test drive of a new car, a preview of the latest film and so on.

And nothing beats the adrenalin rush when you “get the big one”.

Yep, to use the cliche, it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Not everyone is suited to it though, like one young bloke years ago at a Newcastle newspaper.

He was sent to cover the weekend soccer match between two local teams.

When he came back to the office early his chief sub-editor asked why.

“The game was cancelled,” came the reply.

 “Why?” asked the boss.

“Well, the grandstand collapsed and half a dozen people were hurt and there were ambulances everywhere ... it was chaos,” the cadet said.

 “WHAT? Did you get the story?”

“Huh? Oh!”

He'd been sent to report on the soccer and that's exactly what he did.

Needless to say, his chances of developing his ego and of getting “junkets” ended right then and there.