When three photographers were arrested at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., they were identified as "having connections to the University of Kentucky's student newspaper" on kentucky.com.
Some might argue that their affiliation with a student newspaper gives them less privileges than a "legitimate" paper. There are those who might take that argument even further since, according to the article, the photographers went to Minnesota fully aware that any photos they took would not be used in their own paper.
However, the fourth estate does not come with a set of training wheels. Affixing the word "student" before their titles of "journalist" confuses the issue and diminishes the vocation they have thrust themselves into.
Labeling someone a "student journalist" is akin to labeling a fledgling pianist a student musician. There is virtually no difference between what these students are doing in their school days from what their careers will entail. From the jump, these "students" are engaged in an environment where their work is treated no differently than it will be when they are receiving benefits and sick time to do the same thing: inform their audience as accurately and objectively as possible in an effort to educate the public which greases the wheels of democracy.
The fact that these "students" braved the convention while knowingly going unpublished and unpaid shows that they're adhering to the calling of the fourth estate out of a sense of purpose and shear need.
If that doesn't give them the right to be taken seriously, I don't know what does.
Some might argue that their affiliation with a student newspaper gives them less privileges than a "legitimate" paper. There are those who might take that argument even further since, according to the article, the photographers went to Minnesota fully aware that any photos they took would not be used in their own paper.
However, the fourth estate does not come with a set of training wheels. Affixing the word "student" before their titles of "journalist" confuses the issue and diminishes the vocation they have thrust themselves into.
Labeling someone a "student journalist" is akin to labeling a fledgling pianist a student musician. There is virtually no difference between what these students are doing in their school days from what their careers will entail. From the jump, these "students" are engaged in an environment where their work is treated no differently than it will be when they are receiving benefits and sick time to do the same thing: inform their audience as accurately and objectively as possible in an effort to educate the public which greases the wheels of democracy.
The fact that these "students" braved the convention while knowingly going unpublished and unpaid shows that they're adhering to the calling of the fourth estate out of a sense of purpose and shear need.
If that doesn't give them the right to be taken seriously, I don't know what does.
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