Hard Times For Journalists

Jeff Green | May 29, 2013

The main benefits of being a journalist are two-fold. First, journalists can dress poorly. Second, journalists get to sit in judgement of public figures. This judgement lies at the root of all reportage - editorials and news reports alike (that’s a trade secret, news reports are only editorials masked as factual accounts - just as you always suspected)

Journalists, and by extension, their readers, are free to revel in the inherent weaknesses of politicians, top level bureaucrats, and others whom they report on. It makes everyone feel better knowing that the people in positions of power can be as petty and foolish as themselves.

Historically the only problem with journalism was the pay, but things have gotten worse. Now that social media rules the world, everyone and anyone has become a journalist. The profession is fast becoming irrelevant.

To make matters worse, journalists have recently jumped into the headlines, in a bad way. Two former high-profile Canadian journalists, a Mr. Duffy and a Ms. Wallin, have been rather conspicuously present in the recent scandal over Senate expenses.

And amid all the controversies over the Ford brothers in Toronto, the Toronto Star, and now the Globe and Mail as well, have themselves become part of the story. They have made liberal use of anonymous sources, and engaged in speculations of all sorts, using the thinnest of all covers: “sources close to City Hall have told us” etc. And then there was the reporting about that video, the one that was reportedly shown to reporters on an I-phone by drug dealers in the back seat of a car in a back alley, the one with a $200,000 price tag.

The public is beginning to wonder if journalists aren’t just as corrupt as politicians and lawyers, and who’s to say we aren’t.

What is a self-respecting journalist to do in these hard times?

The answer to that question can also be found in recent headlines.

There happen to be two openings right now for communications people in the mayor’s office in Toronto.

How hard a job can that be?

I can think of a few sample official statements on the spot: "The mayor did not do crack. It’s business as usual at City Hall. Anyone who says differently is a scum or a maggot"; "The mayor apologises for calling journalists scum and maggots"; "There is no video"; "If there is a video, the mayor is not in it"; "The mayor did not buy the video, which doesn’t exist"; "The mayor’s brother did not run a hashish import business in the 80s"; "The buses are still running and road-work is still behind schedule"; "The world is as it should be, and anyone who says differently is wrong and/or out to get the mayor".

There - a day's work done in just a few seconds, leaving plenty of time for a good lunch.

By the way, Is lunch covered under office expenses for communications people? If not, is there a way to change that?

So, if this by-line goes missing in the next week or so, readers can be assured that the Frontenac News’ loss is the City of Toronto’s gain.

The only problem is that I might need a new wardrobe to work in Toronto. Better stop in at the Treasure Trunk on my way out of town, and at the clothing depot in Hartington for good measure.

I should be back at the end of November in 2014, if not sooner, depending how it all goes for me in the Big Smoke.

Arrivederci.