“I AM NOT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS.”
This is the most important line in legendary journalist Jim Lehrer’s personal code of ethics — and I am inclined to agree wholeheartedly.
If I am to truly be a journalist, there is no place for the notion of entertainment. The definition of entertainment itself negates that. I think you should never be a journalist to entertain, and those who write sensationalist tabloids I would not call journalists. The main directive of entertainment, is just that, to be pleasing to the senses in one way or another. But news is often not entertaining and it shouldn’t serve as such.
News, first and foremost, is to inform and, if you’re lucky, to inspire change of thought or action. Of course you want to make an impression with the news, but you must not aim for it to be entertaining or I feel you would embellish (as many have). I personally hate sensationalist news and tabloids, and nothing is worse than rumor or gossip news about people of prominence, whether it be Hollywood stars or politicians. If a politician passes a controversial law then THAT is news. If a politician is seen shopping at a grocery store, that is not news. But we see it all the time in tabloids and television. Famous people doing ordinary things and the public can’t get enough. That is “news” for entertainment’s sake.
I want to tell a story that may just open a person’s eyes or get them to think deeper. Journalism can change time and action, much like the course of river. You can throw a single stone, and suddenly there is change to the flow. I see journalism the same way — sometimes you throw small stones and sometimes you’re lucky to find a big boulder, but every little bit is something.
Entertainment has no substance and is just shallow, therefore “not being in the entertainment business” is the code I most live by as a journalist. Of all the very valuable codes on Mr. Lehrer’s list, this one is the bedrock. It is the starting point before any of the others. Because, you make a decision on what story you want to tell before you go about telling it, and that’s where the consideration of entertainment comes in. It is the foundation of journalistic principles and restricts what story you settle for. Granted, I think being entertaining is a lot easier than telling an honest story effectively. But with hard work comes big reward, and I will settle for all or none.
I especially like the way Mr. Lehrer uses the phrase “entertainment business” because it also emphasizes the “business” aspect of entertainment. You could never mix up journalism and “business,” because business implies some sort of transaction for monetary gain. In Lehrer’s mind, entertainment is business — and I want no part of either. To be a journalist, you need to set a hard line against entertainment and decide, from day one, what kind of effect you wish to have.
Do you want to try to gain the admiration of the public for the satisfaction of some appetite they hold? Or would you rather let them know how it is, the real story, minus the frills? That is something rare and special — to be honest in a world where everyone seems to have a lie to sell you.
Where we are, in this day and age, the straight news isn’t enough for most people. There is too much choice and too much blood and too much sex and too much filth. True journalism gets lost amidst a mass of steaming sensation. That’s why most of the news you hear is bad news, because that is more “entertaining.” People want to hear about the mother who drowned her children or the bank robber who mowed down four cops before offing himself in a stand-off.
The mass public is obsessed with tragedy and strife, so you never hear the good news or the REAL news. When I say REAL news, I mean in-depth journalism that takes weeks, months or even years to compile. Not this rapid fire, machine gun rattle of sadness and struggle. I admit there is something very primal about sadness and it is borne within us as humans, but it has become an obsession.
At least if you’re going to tell a sad story, really tell it. Don’t give me a five-minute reel on how the ex-cop was found hanged after committing suicide, or how the young man burned his own home down. Tell me about WHY, dig deep. Investigate a little bit — that is real journalism. Anything less falls more on the entertainment side.
Novels will forever resonate more than the shortest story, and it’s because of their depth. I’m not saying don’t report ALL the news, I’m saying do it in a way that answers questions. Don’t be so anxious to break a story just to say you were first. It’s not a dash, but a marathon that takes endurance, and you must stand the test of time in this industry. I would rather write one good story than break 100 bad ones.
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We have plenty of entertainment being blasted at us from all sides — what we need is more heart. Give the people some substance before TMZ somehow surpasses NPR in viewership. I know I’m going to fight like hell, but I also know I can’t do it alone. Even if I die nameless, with a pocket full of pennies, at least I can say I gave it my best and didn’t fall to the temptations of money over integrity.
