Reaction: The baby boomer journalists

The Charlotte Observer’s own Andria Krewson touched on a subject that I’m sure is on the minds of many baby boomers in the newsroom: traditional journalism and those who represent it. It was interesting to see how a young boomer talk about her concerns for new journalism, when, as a young journalist, I worry whether I’ll ever be as good enough as the generations before me. Will I ever make them proud?

Boomers came into journalism inspired by Watergate, I came in inspired by Barbara Walters and Peter Jennings. Boomers came in hoping to make a difference in the world, I came in hoping to tell a story people wouldn’t dislike. But the media has been too slow to improve the ways Boomers can handle the new forms of journalism. The journalism world seems to be changing so fast every day, I can’t imagine having to see it change so much from when I was younger. As a younger journalist, the Internet has always been a part of my career, but since Boomers were my journalism teachers, I was still taught the old way of journalism and I have a sincere love and admiration for it.

I guess instead of a reaction to Andria’s post, I wanted to share the idea that Boomers aren’t alone in worrying about how the world of journalism is changing. Younger journalists are also, and we’re helping ring out this new form of storytelling. There are so many things to do, so many ways to screw up and it’s frightening. I admire the Boomers in my newsroom, the ones who’ve been doing this for decades, the ones who seem to know what they’re doing. I love hearing the stories about how it used to be because those stories allow me to see the changes that have been made and get advice on how to move on from here. So, to all the older journalists, share your ideas! And if a younger journalist is unwilling to hear it, share anyway. Maybe one day they’ll be older journalists and know exactly what you felt like and remember something you might’ve said.