Thursday, July 06, 2006
The Fourth Estate
I could barely contain my excitement as I fired of the e-mail to two of my mentors.I made a difference! Look!!!!
Talia
Talia
P.S. - I'll be doing a follow up soon.
Below those few sentences was a forward I'd recieved moments earlier from the state house reporter regarding a press release from the Republican Party.
A story I broke last week about five residents who filed declarations of candidacy for multiple elected offices (which is expressley prohibited by Rhode Island law) and the Board of Elections lacksidasical effort to regulate the filings - had garnered some attention.
The state Republican party was launching its own independent investigation into the conduct of the Board of Elections and to call for regulation of the declarations.
As paltry as the actual action was, since the GOP essentially has no power over state government, as I read the release, I felt a rush of excitement flow through my body.
Something I wrote held the government accountable. Something I wrote was going to make a difference. I was doing watchdog journalism.
And it felt pretty good.
These are the stories that keep journalism classes filled, despite dismal industry growth projections that tell future watchdogs to seek another profession.
On the grand scale, it manifests itself in stories like Watergate. Or on the smaller scale, in storeis about a local politician skirting the rules for his or her own benefit.
They're the stories that play to every journalist's superhero fantasy. Face it. No matter your medium, we all got into the business to save the world.
Instead of a cape and super strength, our powers lie in asking the hard questions and digging for answers.
Instead of fighting super villians, we fight to speak truth to power and shine light so people can find their own way.
And every so often, above the jeers and nasty e-mails we get in our inbox every day, above the bashing we endure on talk radio or on the Senate floor, every once in a while, our voices are heard.
Then, we make a marked difference.
And it feels good. continue...
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First it was HU, then it was crooked politicos in Providence, RI.
Eventually, Flint, Michigan's Talia Buford will impeach the president.
Go T-dot, go T-dot...
*cabbage patch*
Good for you! I am very impressed and proud.