New Precision Journalism questions…

1. I understand the rule of innocence to an extent especially with the example provided, but the rule of passivity is a new concept to me, I am wondering how any reader would be happy with research that a journalist takes at face value, and doesn’t do their side of the job in vetting the information or backing it up with their own research. My question is how is this such a strong pillar of journalism, and how have I not heard of it? Which leads me more so to ask how can a modern journalist remain objective? Is it impossible? Is looking into information considered me pushing my viewpoints?
2. At some point will we stop trying to teach journalists to condense their facts and teach children how to read and appreciate news? I really love this quote, “Fact-finding ability is, after all, the source of what power we possess.”

Class Matters…

I definitely buy the NY Times argument about the importance of class in the modern debate about income inequality.

Interview…

I have an interview subject but I haven’t been able to meet with her. I used to work with her at a day care. I know she lost this job and accepted unemployment for some time, then got a new job that she had to leave and was on the hunt for a new one for some time. Recently she told me she is not only searching for employment but is also pregnant with twins with an uninvolved father. She just got a new childcare job at $9.50/hr. I know it’s really difficult to survive on these wages because when we worked together I was making actual minimum wage while she made a bit more for her time with the establishment and for having 2 degrees in early child care. I think she would be a really interesting subject for me to interview given her situation at the moment, but I’m not sure if it’s unethical considering I know her fairly well and consider her a friend. Either way, I think a woman working in childcare is a good route to go especially speaking from experience in what I was paid as a full time minimum wage worker. I worked with 2-year olds 5 days a week sometimes more than 40 hours a week making $8.50 an hour. Imagine that you have a classroom of about 15 two year olds between you and 2 other teachers. We split up bathroom time and no joke those kiddos have to go basically after every activity we do, and there are accidents, and of course diaper changes. So I have 5 kids that may all have poop in their pull-ups and it may take me about 30 min to get them all through and hands washed and tears wiped if that’s what a bathroom break comes to (which trust me often times it did.) What would you say if I asked you to change 5 dirty diapers of toddlers, be chipper about it, keep everyone clean and happy, and I’ll pay you $4.25 for your efforts? WOW I needed a raise.