Getting paid to have conversations with others is what got me interested in journalism, but newsroom conversations are what sealed the deal. The sounds, chatter, shouting, questions about AP style that fly about in a newsroom, even the nerdy discussions about grammar and word choice are just entertaining to me. Not to mention the snappy one-liners and guest appearances that make Kedzie 116 seem like a sitcom.
Don’t get me wrong the discussion is not always that intelligent. Journalists are trained to have dirty minds so that unintended phrases it doesn’t appear in copy. I’ll leave that one alone. There’s a general understanding in the Collegian’s newsroom that the comments made there stay there. We spend so much time together, that not only have we built a level of trust, but we understand what other writers and editors are going through.
Today alone I heard writers and editors voice their opinions on the Big 12, grammar, and balanced reporting.
Those that work in a newsroom understand the dynamic, it’s a place for open discussion and sharing of thoughts… even if there not fit for print.
Tim Schrag 