[DruannB]

I'm probably going to regret it, but I'm going to weigh in here. I have been a journalist for 39 years, either as a reporter, editor, and now as a journalism professor. I've worked for both small and large newspapers, magazines, and lobbyists. What we are taught in school is not what we experience when we start working in the field. Many of you are correct. The bottom line is all that matters. I've been told to exclude information, deny coverage, or pump up more advertisers than I care to count. I lost a job once for offending an advertiser. I went into journalism education because I saw our profession descend into the muckraking that was going on in the early 20th century. I hoped I could influence a few to report objectively. I teach ethical reporting and hope that some will land in a job where they won't have to lie. The current trend in reporting is also opinion reporting--no more being objective. At national conferences we're told that the general public is too stupid to interpret the news for themselves. So, as a result of this training, you have a 21-year-old telling you how you should think and act. And they grow up in the business being applauded for doing so. This is my last year as a journalism professor. I am switching over to English full time. I've had enough and I just can't defend my profession any longer.