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DEL.ICIO.USLanier MIddle School students gave ME a boost on career day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I love my job.
And despite what radio provocateurs say about “drive-by” media and liberal bias, the life of a journalist still intrigues.
Especially when it’s a bunch of curious seventh-graders.
On Wednesday, Lanier Middle School held its Career Fair. I was invited to represent the media. I’ve done more than my share of these type events, and this was one of the best — from the questions the students asked right down to the pepper rings offered with our sub sandwiches.
At first, I felt ill-prepared. Some of the career representatives went all out. The Publix representative, an artist/event coordinator, had a vase of flowers and balloons. A doctor displayed a fake human skeleton.
I showed up like I typically do for an assignment. With note pad and pen.
No worries, though.
Like I said, a journalist still carries cache, even when he’s placed next to someone like Brian Gardner, a national scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Man, was he a hit with the boys.
But Eliann Rodriquez, a seventh-grader, was on to something.
“You’re a reporter,” she told me, laughing. “Everybody wants to talk to you.”
Well, not everybody, but enough of the 850 or so seventh-graders to make restroom breaks a luxury.
At events like this, there’s typically one question that everyone wants to ask.
“How much do you make?”
Of the 75 or so kids who interviewed me, only two traveled down that road, something I attribute to one of two things. The students were instructed not to. They’re a mighty polite bunch over at Lanier Middle, a Buford campus of nearly 2,500 students.
The best exchanges took place when students ventured off the questionnaire to ask about my job as a columnist. A few wanted to know how many words make up a column (550 or so); who decides what I write (me); how I come up with ideas (by any means necessary); and why I became a writer (I sucked at math).
Some students talked about their desire to enter the profession. Claire Nellums, 13, has a working title for a short story. “Jules.”
“It’s about a girl in school and the stuff she goes through throughout her day,” she told me.
When it was all over, when the last class came and went and the Badie Tour packed up and headed out, I was left with this thought.
It’s a shame what little value society puts on the written word — newspapers, books and magazines. It’s unfortunate that print media professionals have let talking heads and agenda-minded mutants degradate and belittle our craft, the jobs we do and take seriously.
So when I left Lanier Middle, I made a pledge.
I plan to challenge folk I come across who spout that tired argument about the liberal media and its biases, especially in a day and time when conservatives rule talk radio and a certain “news” channel. I won’t sit quiet and let people blast newspapers, call them worthless when you consider what you can get in return for a mere 50 cents.
Yeah. I love my job. Warts and all.
The enthusiasm of the kids at Lanier Middle helped reaffirm that.
• Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
Permalink | Comments (20) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By Strider
May 3, 2007 10:46 AM | Link to this
Badie, What is the AJC circulation today? what was it 5 years ago?
nuff said, You aren’t a bad columnist, it’s just that RAG you work for. Thank the big man above that Tucker and Bookman haven’t turned your brain into mush yet.
Keep up the good work, but I would dust off that resume if I were you.
By T
May 3, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this
Rick, I enjoy your articles and uderstand your position.
Having said that, I really take issue with the AJC on more levels than I care to cover in this post.
Unfortunatley the talking heads and agenda minded mutants (as you call them) will tell the truth in certain areas where the main-stream media will not be honest.
Just read your columnists on the opinion page to get a real dose of some slanted thinking.
I don’t take the AJC at home anymore. I read it at work or on-line.
I would say this paper needs to look at the reality that it is dying a slow and painful death. What will the circualtion be in 10 more years?
If the AJC hadn’t of bought out the Gwinnett Daily News/Daily News it would be half the size it is today … Maybe it woudn’t even exist.
This paper really needs major help if it is to survive …
By Bruce Wilcox
May 3, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this
One of lifes great pleasures is a fresh cup of coffee and the morning paper, both taken a sip at a time.
The blip people (those who survive on blips of news provided by the talking heads and cable) do not realize that newspapers are like the internet, if you don’t agree with one, switch.
Instead of the AJC, pick up a WSJ or a WT, they’ll keep a conservative happy all day long. For the more, ahem, Liberal types there is THE newspaper the NYTimes plus the WP or the LATimes. I think the AJC is just as fair and balanced as some cable networks.
Cable and the internet have writers, newspapers have journalists. Cable and the internet rely on speed, newspapers rely on accuracy.
Time for another cup of coffee.
By Michael H. Smith
May 3, 2007 4:06 PM | Link to this
Into the written word are you there Mr. Badie?
A piece of a little ditty from forlorn years gone by, that best applies to the state of your profession.
>
Come gather ‘round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You’ll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you Is worth savin’ Then you better start swimmin’ Or you’ll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin’.
>
Why should anyone bother picking up a printed copy of the AJC? Or in fact any other newspaper set upon newsprint?
My customary read of the news begins with e-mail alerts from The N.Y. Times, The Washington Post, CNN and The Faux News Analysis of “he said she said” every morning and throughout the day. Then it’s off to Google News occasionally Yahoo News, often checking a slew of other live news feed bookmarks: The Seattle Intelligencer, The Washington Times, Reuters, Newsweek, Time, and U.S. news and world report. Now I’m sure this mentioning is less than half of what I read on a continual bases. Without the Internet that would be impossible.
The tragedy in your profession is the lack of “real reporting” of the news. That takes effort: Like getting out from behind a desk and going out to do some sweating in gather the facts that are actually the news (not someone’s opinion or taking the AP version then re-writing it).
Take the written words Bob (Zimmerman) Dylan put upon paper with ink to heart Mr. Badie and admit that the waters around you have grown. In this E-age of Pod-cast, RSS live news feeds, Blogs, U-tubes and the like, any newspaper or journalist worth their salt had best start doing some hard research, reporting and E-swimming are they will sink like a stone into “red ink”. For the times they have been a changing.
I’ll take another sip of coffee now and go read from a selection of hundreds of newspapers from across this land and around the world - and as always 24/7/365 on dry-screen @ the speed of life where I decide just a mouse-click away with nary a wet copy lying upon my driveway.
By Bruce Wilcox
May 3, 2007 7:57 PM | Link to this
A blip blip here, a blip blip there, blip, blip everywhere a blip blip, but now some people know every blipping thing there is to know and are not afaid to let you know it.
Now to page A-4, it is where many of the better stories are hidden that never make it to a web page or the nightly news, most interesting.
By Michael H. Smith
May 3, 2007 9:18 PM | Link to this
More blather, blather from some person who writes the hidden stories that never did appear blipping here, blipping there, about watching TV and being riveted to C-span remorsefully lamenting the party out of power in Georgia, i.e. I want to elect Democrats! When the issue was clearly the D3 commissioner’s interest in the vote on a bill to stem annexations by cities.
Now onto a real story perhaps by tomorrow it may appear somewhere on the AJC Web site if only in a re-canned form from the wire service AP.
One of this nation’s Icons, Dr. Martin Luther King, will soon have a monument on the Washington National Mall. The memorial, known as the Stone of Hope, will be the first honoring an African-American and it will be carved by a “Chinese sculptor” using “Chinese stone” in “communist China”. This according to CNN’s “reporter” Bill Tucker.
Any interested readers can find this story with in depth insightful facts and comments in the Lou Dobbs Tonight achieves. Lou of course the winner of the Peabody award for broadcast Journalism and graduate with a degree in economics from that little known cottage college, Harvard. Not bad for a Cable guy.
Surely the blather blipping news nose, discerner of all hidden things and writer of most of them, has credentials no less prestigious?
By Michael H. Smith
May 3, 2007 10:06 PM | Link to this
From the Washington Post Page A01
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is delivering pointed critiques of the African American community as he campaigns for its votes, lamenting that many of his generation are “disenfranchising” themselves because they don’t vote, taking rappers to task for their language, and decrying “anti-intellectualism” in the black community, including black children telling peers who get good grades that they are “acting white.”
Now let duplicity ring, shall a vicious attack be launched against Sen. Obama as the was the vile one made against Rep. Everson recently for taking to task blacks over badly used language. Maybe Sen. Obama paints with too broad a brush - now to that blipping page A-4 where all political duplicity shall remain hidden in silence.
By Bruce Wilcox
May 3, 2007 11:15 PM | Link to this
Looks like Mr. Smith has blipped his lid.
By Michael H. Smith
May 4, 2007 12:33 AM | Link to this
Poor Mr Wilcox go sleep the wine it off.
By jim d
May 4, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this
Rick,
As much as I enjoy reading your column I have to agree with “T”.
With bean counters running the printing press I question how long it can survive?
By Bruce Wilcox
May 4, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
A correction needs to be made in a statement by Mr. Smith, “Lou (Dobbs) of course the winner of the Peabody award for broadcast Journalism”, not really. The Peabody was awarded to CNN for the coverage of the 87’ stock market crash, Lou may have risked all on the front lines, but it is a misleading statement none the less. Sounds like O’Reily’s boastings.
Personal Peabody Awards are really a giant step above, some examples are Christiane Amanpour, Phil Donahue, Walter Cronkite, and Charles Kuralt among a very select group.
Accuracy over the blip.
By Michael H. Smith
May 5, 2007 1:16 AM | Link to this
Step anyway you like, Mr. Dobbs won the award, it is not a misleading statement. Lou’s Bio is on his Website for all to see in detail. Anyone can read it for themselves. You have only taken another step below in personal integrity trying to discredit him Mr. Wilcox.
Considering the other distinguished mentioned people (you seem to favor), I’d take Lou any day of the week. Especially on finance, common sense and fighting for the best interests of the average American.
It is you Mr. Wilcox, that is the author of blip and BS over accuracy. Among his recent inaccurate ranting tirades:
A push for six district county commissioners, where he tried to use razzle dazzle instead of the numeric facts to persuade. He couldn’t convince me (an Independent conservative) and certainly could not deny the truth in accurate numbers brought to fore that showed only one possible conclusion: Mr. Wilcox just doesn’t like the people in office serving him.
If you can’t convince an Independent Mr. Wilcox, what do you think you will achieve in that room full of Elephants and Sen. Balfour to win seats by gerrymandering new districts for Democrats using inaccurate numbers?
If you and Rep. Floyd want to elect Democrats you’ll have to do it the old fashion way, actually win an election. And that won’t happen until the Democrats change their agenda, put that room full of 800 pound gorillas in a zoo where they belong and start representing the collective interests of the individual American (U.S. Citizens). Your former Senator, New York Sen. Schemer said as much, and by design ran “Blue Dog” candidates to win in ‘06.
Then there was the recent attack on Rep. Everson in condemning his stand against bad language used by a fellow lady Democrat Rep., whose outburst Rep. Everson found equally as appalling as Mrs. King’s portrait not being hung in rightfully deserved honor at the statehouse.
Sen. Obama condemns the same use of this immoral language just like Rep. Everson. Sen. Obama condemns the same dumbing down of American blacks just like Mr. Badie. Now with countless others regardless of skin color across this nation including some famous rapper artist too condemning this Imus reprehensible language used by many gansta rappers, do you think Mr. Wilcox will ever see the light and his error? Nah.
Now Mr. Wilcox tries to convince with his crass ad hominem attacks on Lou Dobbs and me that news via the Internet and Cable can never equal news on newsprint. When sad fact is, even this very newspaper the AJC has seen the printed page playing less and less of a role in delivering the news and information we all depend upon.
Ms. Tuck wrote a good analysis of the changing face of the AJC. I think she will agree, to confine your reading to the printed page on newsprint, even to those of the AJC will leave you ill informed.
Internet news and blogs have challenged mainstream media reports and have at times found/proved them inaccurate and misleading. The printing press can never deliver news at the speed of the Internet and certainly could never produce the same volume of information delivery. So in conclusion Mr. Wilcox: Blip, bloop, lop, twist, lie, distort, attack anyway you like in trying to mislead others. Cable news and the Internet has reached where no newspaper’s newsprint has gone before or ever will. Far, far beyond, the confinement and the intellectual disenfranchisement of page A4.
As for Mr. Badie, good for you Rick. Stand up to Neal Brootz and Sean Hanity. I’ve certainly found disagreements with them. There is plenty of bias left and right throughout the media as a whole. But as for news via newsprint… brother, it ain’t worth even a dime.
By Bruce Wilcox
May 5, 2007 4:08 AM | Link to this
Now, now Mr.Smith no need to get mean, like O’Reilly people do tend to pad their resumes. As far as the Peabody Award all one has to do is check with Peabody, not just Lou’s web-site.
Year:1987 Title: Cable News Network Institutional Award for Coverage of the Stock Market Crash
Producing Organization(s): Cable News Network
City/State: Atlanta Georgia
Peabody recognition goes to the Cable News Network for its excellence in live coverage of important breaking news stories. No finer example of this excellence can be found, in the opinion of the Peabody Board, than CNN’s live coverage of the October 1987 stock market crash. Under the guidance of Chief Correspondent and Vice President, CNN Business News, Lou Dobbs, an outstanding team covered this even with such distinction and care that the Board recognizes CNN as the “channel of record” for live coverage of breaking news of national and global significance. For its overall effort, but with special recognition of the coverage of the stock market crash, the Peabody Board cites the Cable News Network for excellence.
Maybe that word team has both Lou and you confused. ” Considering the other distinguished mentioned people (you seem to favor), I’d take Lou any day of the week.” and you certainly may, just don’t compare him to the people who actually won the Peabody on their own merits.
Speaking of confused, Mr. Smith what are you babbling about with all this other gabble? What does it have to do with people that are limited by blips?
By Michael H. Smith
May 5, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this
Well… there you go again, trying to discredit the work of Lou Dobbs. Really pitiful; the team won, the network won, everybody and his brother but Lou Dobbs won? Have it your way but the truth - something you are immune to as it seems - is this, under whose guidance was that Peabody credited to? Now I’m sure Ms. Tucker deserves her Pulitzer, certainly she has others running down information for her, has relied on sources, research departments and so on, not to mention the national major newspaper that backs her up, should any of that discredit her? Absolutely not! It would only discredit anyone who had the unmitigated gall to use that to assert she really didn’t personally win.
Just stand by the door Mr. Wilcox, CNN is sending someone over with contract in hand, offering you a new show of your very own - Bruce Wilcox Tonight. Oh, and the AJC is rumored to have designs on replacing Ms. Tucker with some unknown local transplant to lead the editorial section too. But here’s the catch, you have to do ALL the work. Yup, that’s right, from turning on the lights cameras printing presses to doing every interview all the research legal review right on to performing the duties of talking head mouth piece and by the way, don’t forget to flush the toilet and turn out the lights on your way out. Otherwise the team and the respective organizations win the all awards and retain all monies thought due.
I’m not confused in the least and Lou is likely even less confused. The economics degree Lou received from Harvard he has credited many times to the countless work efforts of others. The recent books he has written he acknowledges the many work efforts of the others that made his publication possible. Oh, and Lou never does spin zones or fair and balanced. In his latest book he devoted an entire chapter on the state of the media and the news; I hope Rick has a copy, it could prove useful in challenging the drive by spin artists of he said she said journalism passed off as news.
Your ending drivel Mr. Wilcox isn’t worthy of a funeral let alone the decency of a reply.
By Bruce Wilcox
May 5, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this
Tsk, tsk, Mr. Smith, the least you could do is go to the Peabody Award web-site and do just a bit of research on the difference between a personal award and one given to a show, network or team.
I am not knocking Lou Dobbs, he led a team that was on the front lines of the stock market crash, ticker-tape has been known to cause some pretty nasty paper cuts, so the team deserves the award.
But what is insulting is Dobb and O’Reilly putting themselves in the same class of journalists that have won personal awards like the Bill Moyers, Christiane Amanpour, Phil Donahue, Walter Cronkite, and Charles Kuralt.
Sad when ego’s trump credibility, sadder still is those, even when shone the light, that choose to blindly follow.
By Michael H. Smith
May 5, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this
Bull crap Mr. Wilcox. What is insulting is your trying to draw comparisons to Lou Dobbs in your inane attempt to discredit him. Christiane Amanpour has been a CNN reporter Lou Dobbs has used many times on his shows. Walter Cronkite was a news host doing exactly the same things Lou Dobbs does in reporting the nightly news. Both did/do on site reporting. The difference is Lou never makes or has made or “inferred” the claim that what he reported is ALL THE NEWS as Cronkite did in his often used closing.
Talk about blind. Egos… oh man is that rich.
Any day of the week Mr. Wilcox, you can pit Lou Dobbs against anyone you choose, even the ones you mention, if that is the game you’re into and have them debate Lou on the current issues facing this nation and he will do better than hold his ground, personally.
It’s worth mentioning President Bush would not come on Lou’s show as he did on the O’Reilly Factor. Only Tony Snow - this only recently - out of the entire Bush administration actually had the guts and intelligence to appear with Lou in discussion and debate. Considering what Mr. Snow had to defend he probably did the best job possible for his boss.
“Sad when ego’s trump credibility, sadder still is those, even when shone the light, that choose to blindly follow.”
Well Mr. Lemming, keep marching to the sea.
By Bruce Wilcox
May 5, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
While I am surprised that you Mr. Smith believe that I give out the famed Peabody Awards, I do not. It is not up to me to decide who gets a personal Peabody, if for some reason Lou does not measure up it is not of my doing, try to understand this.
I just state what is fact, you can bend it, twist it, stomp on it, dressed it up any way you wish, but you still can not change it.
My deepest sympathy for destroying your illusion.
By Michael H. Smith
May 5, 2007 6:59 PM | Link to this
You very seldom state fact Mr. Wilcox. Delight in your fantasies all you like.
By Jean Ebert
May 5, 2007 9:25 PM | Link to this
Getting back to your column, Rick, I must agree that there is nothing like the written word. Whether it be a book, newspaper, a magazine, or the soon-to-be lost art of the written letter. I love the computer and I use the computer, but a computer screen is not the place I choose to get my news from or to corresoind with my pen-pals of almost thirty years. Nothing beats opening a new book; the crack of the book spine and the smell of the pages. The art of writing, really writing, is slowly disappearing in this text messaging crazed world. To me, the pen is still mightier than the computer keyboard. Write on!
By Don Reece
May 7, 2007 8:55 AM | Link to this
Rick:
You tune words with precision, and understand weaponry of just pen and paper tablet.
Blogging has become the rage, but mostly “Jack Kerouac/ee cummings” postings, all about the bloggers and what they know. Huge boon for computer repair, since we can “Google” most any computer problem, if phrased properly, and come up with both opinions and prescriptions for remedy. Thanks to proud geeks, heralding complaints and solutions.
Nowadays, I use pencil (instead of pen) and a paper tablet. Every few months, will fill up a tablet, use pen to identify to-from date of notes on cover of tablet. Then start a new one.
Hope you and family are well.
Don