Among my friends I count a lot of PR people who used to be journalists before they left for more comfortable corporate climes. No judgment there. In writing and speaking for PR people—speechwriters, content marketers, employee communicators—I take both treasure and pleasure. And a tough-minded ex-journalist agitating from within a company can do as much to keep management honest as a reporter hounding from without.
But a number of these ex-journalists—an increasing number, it seems to me—foul my Facebook and Twitter feeds with dreary, chronic complaints that "the media" favors Democrats. (And then when "the media" criticizes President Obama, write even drearier posts expressing their surprise.)
I wonder if it ever occurs to them that maybe "the media" might be more "balanced" if these conservative thinkers still worked in journalism, instead of trading their research and writing services for fatter checks from large corporations (like the ones that own "the media").
Ghandi-like, I urge my conservative communication colleagues: Be the change you wish to see in journalism.
Otherwise, show some appreciation for the poor dumb Democratic bastards you left behind.
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