Do journalists lose their credibility when they worry more about themselves and their accolades rather than just reporting the news?
Recently on a Monday Night Football postgame show, ESPN cut to the crew on the field before they were ready, and the cameras caught columnist Rick Reilly telling host Stuart Scott to give him credit for being the first to break the news about Ben Roethlisberger’s injury on Twitter.
Steve Young, one of the analysts of the crew and a highly regarded quarterback, immediately nudged Reilly, gave him a look that said “What the heck?” and proceeded to shake his head and glare at him for the remainder of the segment.
It seems more and more reporters like Reilly would rather be the story than report on stories.
Journalists shouldn’t start on a story looking for praise. They should be a medium for the fans and readers and just report what they see and hear. Credit is given where credit is due.
Yes, a story like the one dealing with Roethlisberger is important news, but looking for praise for simply reporting what you see makes you seem pompous and selfish.
I’d like to thank “professionals” like Reilly for showing me what not to do as I’m learning the business of sports journalism. Keep your priorities in check.
