Off to the Races
J-school rocks!
Today was mainly orientation-type stuff, but there were two especially cool elements. The first was a harmonic convergence of sorts. This morning's program featured a talk by Jill Abramson, Managing Editor of the New York Times (and an old college pal of our dean, Nicholas Lemann). Her remarks focused in part on Judith Miller, the Times reporter who was jailed several weeks ago for refusing to name a source in the Valerie Plame leak case. As it happens, the paper published an editorial today called "Leading by Example," about how the loss of freedom of the press in the U.S., exemplified by Miller's incarceration, is reverberating around the world. And it carried the news of the death of Peter Jennings, whose passing marked the end of the network-anchor era. Reading those two pieces and hearing Abramson's perspective on the state of journalism really drove home what I have known for months: that American journalism is at a crossroads, and that I could not have picked a more important or exciting time to embark on this profession.
The second cool element was the first meeting of our Reporting & Writing I class (RWI in J-school parlance). RWI is the heart of the J-school curriculum and a third of our credits for the fall semester. Next week, we will be assigned to our semester-long neighborhood beats and will do our first real reporting. This morning I was elated to learn that I had gotten my first-choice RWI professor, Sandy Padwe, and he did not disappoint. I came to the J-school to immerse myself in journalism -- to work hard and to learn as much as I possibly can in these 283 short days. I walked out of RWI today knowing that I will be able to make that happen, that Prof. Padwe will be both a demanding teacher and an inspiring mentor -- exactly what I wanted.
It was an auspicious first day.
Cool quotes from the day:
Journalism is a permanent passport to talk to the most interesting people in the world. --Jill Abramson
Think about the word independence all the time. --Sandy Padwe
Starting today, my job is to read, write, and talk to people. How cool is that!
posted by Jody Rosen Knower @ 11:42 PM
4 Comments:
well damn. i could not be more jealous.
do you get to meet stephen sondheim?
Oh, Jody! that uplift was just what i needed, inspiring in the best sense. 37 is a spring chicken, my dear and i cannot tell you how comforted i was by what you say about the purpose of journalism, the free press in a 'free' state
in the sixties i was an avid follower of the news and for good reason alternative reporting was the only way those of us (and there were many) who had been disenfranchised in the true sense by the establishment could point to EVIDENCE (often from reporters who were also in jeapardy, as today) that the government was not keeping the compact with the eople set up by the constitution
i revel in your doing this
you will be an important voice in this new time we so desperately need, the time when i continue to hope that the country will turn around, prodded and pushed and haled, kicking and screaming maybe, by those of us who care not just for now and the quick buck and the publicity lip gloss non solution, but for what happens for the survival of our founding princples as a nation
i love you, i honor you, and i draw inspiration from everything you're doing--
know that in your deep heart and mind
of course confidential; you don't spill your blood to just anybody, and i'm more comforted than i can tell you to be one of this group
my best wasp mojo for the beginning continuing to be what the bird entrails seem to be pointing to
We are just back from Canada, in time to hear the sad news that one of my most favorite Canadians had passed. Peter Jennings, to me, represented much of what was best in journalism, and after feeling the sadness of his death, my thoughts drifted to your journalism beginnings. What a comfort, and what inspiration it is to know that you are embarking on this journey. I am thrilled for you personally, knowing that your career success has been way larger than your true career fulfillment. I am thrilled for me personally, since I can rest easier at night knowing that one of the world's most truly fine human beings is going to help shape the future of journalism. Not that I have any big expectations for you or anything...
All of us here wish you much joy and success on your 282 day journey. I can't wait to hear more.
Love,
Lin
Congrats and good luck, Jody! never mind Sondheim, will you get the opportunity to ask the shrub some pointed questions? I sure hope so. In any case, you are inspiring... maybe I will have to log the first year of my career change as well!
Love,
cyrus
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