Friday, April 01, 2011

Almost Like Journalism

About the time I was growing dissatisfied with my #edusolidarity post, Common Ground, a RI labor newspaper, asked me to write a piece on the whole Providence teacher situation. So I did. I think it came out pretty well, but if I'd known it would be the lead story I might have done more than one draft.

Anyway, right now, you can read it here, and eventually it will be archived somewhere else.Had I known it would be on the front page above the fold I might have done more than one draft and started writing before 10:30 PM.

This was almost like real journalism because I actually placed a phone call (to the PTU) to check some facts. I eventually ended up talking to PTU President Steve Smith, and at that point I realized that I should probably have something to ask him other than the one very specific factual question I had. So once that was resolved we had a nice chat but I guess I didn't take advantage of it the way a real journalist would. He offered up a few comments that were exactly concurrent with my analysis, and I told him I thought he was right.

This was all a reminder of why I did not become a professional journalist... not only do I hate calling people on the phone and not know what to say when I get them, I hate reading my own writing in print. Hate it!

3 comments:

jackson blossom said...

Good article, Tom. I think you should do that kind of stuff more.

Tom Hoffman said...

People should ask me to write articles for their publications more.

Jill Davidson said...

Really very much like journalism! Thanks - very helpful to have the issues laid out clearly as you did.