refLECTURE I: "Like a Mini Skirt"

I know. (Many of our) First. Lecture. Ever. 'Oh em gee, super nervous but still wayyyy excited'. Nope. I was not (nor ever will be) one of those people. Regardless of its 'cosmic' importance in my tertiary education, and ultimately my life, it was still a Monday.
Blessed with a late start, general housekeeping, and obligatory introductions, my Mondayitis (a real disease, Wiktionary says so) had time to clear. And just in time.


YOU ARE THE JOURNALIST. I did that 'turn-around-and-look-at-the-person-behind-you-as-if-it's-only-directed-at-them-because-he's-obviously-not-talking-about-you' thing. Yeah...
I get it. It's the course philosophy, "just believe and you will be"(Now this is sounding like a straight to dvd teen movie). But, honestly internet, I don't feel like a journalist. Not yet at least... I'll get back to you on that one.


This first encounter was all about getting us to think. What is journalism? Don't worry I got this one; Mr. Google please define journalism.  Unfortunately, it's not that easy. To inspire us were the words of renowned publishers, editors, diplomats, historians, and (of course) journalists. But none of these really stuck. They seemed too 'philosophised'. I wanted to know what it takes to be a good journalist, summed up in a phrase oozing with wit. And after much scrolling (and a finger cramp; first world problems) I found it:



"A news story should be like a mini skirt on a pretty woman. Long enough to cover the subject but short enough to be interesting." (Thanks CBS)
Ahh, words of wisdom, spoken like a true... anonymous Texan journalist.


And then there was some more thinking. Why study journalism? Personally, I'm fascinated by the competition journalism and the media have with other social institutions (education/family) in the fields of knowledge, influence, and legitimacy. The power it has, well, it's awe inspiring. (Woah, stop! Almost went off to a long, nerdy rant there. Nice save.)


Then, just as I warming up to the idea of me as a journalist, we were reminded of the 'Current Challenges' (enthusiasm deflated). Lucky for you those 'challenges' are far too worthy of their own post to be included here.


And with that, I left the first lecture a lot less calm and 'chillaxed' then when I had entered. Are there other reasons why I'm studying journalism? How do I 'do' journalism? What's it take to be a journalist? Am I journalist? What's for dinner? These were just a couple of my thoughts on the way home after the first JOUR1111 lecture. And it's still got me thinking....