"Journalist"

Yesterday in class we talked about what constitutes someone earning the title of "journalist." The debate was ultimately laid to rest, with Professor Benson's criteria of simply graduating with a journalism degree as the final word. However, I find this unsatisfactory and would like to explain why.

I don't think that you can call someone a journalist just because they earn a degree. Why? Because you can get a Journalism degree in your spare nights from a 1-800 university. Also, I find it hard to believe that very many of us would feel comfortable answering the question "Are you a journalist?" with "Yes" the day we graduate. There is certainly some merit to graduating with a journalism degree. However, if someone graduates from KU with a geology degree it doesn't mean they're a geologist as they walk down the hill. It's not like they're going to stop half way down and start checking the stratification of the rocks underneath the ground. A friend of mine just got a job at a law firm in Kansas City. He graduated from the School of Journalism, but you would not say he is a journalist. You might think, yeah but you would call him an attorney because he graduated from the School of Law. But, you wouldn't call him an attorney if he used his law degree to become a sports agent. My point is that it is not your training that defines you, but rather what you do.

I think that a high school newspaper editor is more of a journalist than a KU graduate with a journalism degree who can't find a job and is getting high with White Owl, waiting for his parents find him a connection. Wouldn't you agree?

Webster's defines a journalist as "a person engaged in journalism." I have a list of five, fairly different people below who all practice journalism without a journalism degree. Some are more recognizable than others. Say what you will about how they are "pundits" and not "journalists." However, if we have learned that a pundit is basically a journalist who puts their own spin on the news, who puts their own angle on the news AND that there is no such thing as completely objective journalism, then who can be called a journalist?

I encourage everyone to look these names up and see whether you think they should be considered journalists for what they have done or just people spinning the news for the lack of a certificate.

Robert Fisk - BA in English and Classics & PhD in Political Science - worked in the journalism field since 1972

Thomas Friedman - BA in Mediterranean Studies & Master of Philosophy degree in Modern Middle East - worked in the journalism field since 1979

Keith Olbermann - BS in Communication Arts - worked in journalism field since 1981

Stone Phillips - BA in Philosophy - worked in the journalism field since 1978

Stuart Scott - BA in Speech Communication - worked in the journalism field since 1988