Journalism can never be silent
As the new year begins, I reflect on becoming a new reporter and the leaps and bounds I have made in the last six months.
I have always considered myself an introvert, always wanting to stay to myself and not make a scene. I still feel this way, but I am much more confident than when I began. I walk into the room, standing tall with my shoulders back, to not blend in with the crowd but command the room if need be. This is something Hayley from six months ago would never do.
This is not to say I don't still get nervous; I have suffered from social anxiety for as long as I can remember. Doing the uncomfortable might be scary, uncharted territory, but you often find things you didn't know about yourself.
As a reporter at The Brazil Times, I cover political court meetings. It's funny: years ago, I was very interested in politics; I even thought maybe one day I would involve myself in helping citizens and clear the political arena of those who don't have women and those less fortunate in their view. Now, I attend county and city meetings each month to hear from elected officials and report the news to the residents. I suppose I am helping citizens, just in a different capacity.
I never thought I would say that I enjoyed attending the meetings, getting to know the elected officials, and hearing about the projects, the issues, and the triumphs of both Clay County and the city of Brazil. I'm not afraid to say I wasn't the biggest fan of being born and raised here, but over the last six months, as I got to know the officials and saw that they are genuinely trying to better the place we call home, I am proud to say I'm from here.
With the good comes the bad.
Recently, there's been some discourse about how we've covered a local topic. We've had people come into the office with loud voices, harsh words, and even calls with verbal harassment. I didn't expect this when I signed on six months ago. Honestly, I never thought reporting the news, bringing light to a situation, and clearing up rumors would bring such hostility. I remember being hired and told to keep the back door locked. I knew of journalists and reporters who had been attacked and even killed for doing their job; never did I think in a small town, simply reporting the news, I would be worried for my safety.
News, whether we like it or not, has to be reported on. Although some stories have been challenging to write, they must be told.
Social media is at an all-time high, and many think what is posted there is correct, unbiased, and fair. Meanwhile, news sources are looked at as "fake news." Each day, reporters and journalists are harassed, intimated, and attacked simply for doing their work.
Luckily, we have had supporters. They might not be as loud as those against us, but they understand our job and objectivity in reporting the news. Thank you to those who have stood by us.
"Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault." — Henry Anatole Grunwald.
- -- Posted by mellio7928 on Wed, Jan 24, 2024, at 11:03 AM
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