The challenge of being a young journalist

I envy the newly minted journalists entering our profession today. The tools at their disposal are so much more powerful that they were when I broke in 28 years ago at The Macon Telegraph in Georgia, which were: A notepad. And a pen.

But there’s one thing I wouldn’t trade from that era for all the avenues open to today’s younger journalists: the privilege of learning my craft in relative obscurity.

At The Telegraph, the circulation was a shade under 50,000. That was about the largest number of people I could reach. Today’s young journalist can immediately reach an audience that encompasses anyone in the world with an Internet connection.

That must be terrifying.

I’m reminded of this by the outrage that greeted the publication of a headline on ESPN.com over the weekend. It used an ethnic slur on a story about the New York Knicks’ out-of-nowhere star, Jeremy Lin, the first American-born player of Chinese descent to play in the NBA.

Police Blotter of the Day: Man breaks into Sox GM’s home, defrosts lobster

A Chicago man was arrested Monday for allegedly breaking into Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams’ house. …

[Wayne L.] Field apparently made himself at home. Police found him wearing Williams’ clothes and the GM’s 2005 World Series ring. He also apparently defrosted a lobster. …

Williams confirmed the incident and said the man drank his beer, ate frozen pizza, surfed the internet and kicked his shoes off on the bed.

Full story (WMAQ-TV of Chicago)

Development of a story idea: Rooting for the home team? There’s a PAC for that

Over at msnbc.com, where I hang my professional hat, I have a piece today examining the intersection of big-time sports and political activism in Washington:

If you’re among the many Americans who believe lobbyists are part of what’s wrong with this country, you should know this: If you’ve ever gone to a football, baseball, basketball or hockey game — or even watched one on TV — you have your own special interest groups pushing your agenda in Washington.

Even Ralph Nader is working for you. …

Leaders of the groups push a number of different agendas — fighting soaring ticket prices, league lockouts and television-rights deals that black out some fans, among others — but they come together on one issue: what they see as the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s exploitation of athletes and fans for profit.

Many believe the answer is to scrap the Bowl Championship Series, which purports to pit the two best college football teams in the country for the national championship, even though its postseason matchups are determined by pollsters and computers, not by on-the-field competition.

Why I Love Local News: High School Cheerleader Tackles Thief

“I was in a strapless dress, yes.”

Full story, with video (KTVM-TV of Butte, Mont.)

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Today’s Sports Report

Neither manager Fredi Gonzalez nor president of baseball ops Larry Beinfest had any idea that the reason Ceda showed up to last year’s camp overweight was because he was essentially under house arrest in the Dominican Republic pending a criminal investigation.

Full story (WTVJ-TV of Miami)