| 2 | The core journalism |
‘Straight. No chaser.’
Thelonius Monk1
‘You cannot teach journalism’
Enter any newsroom and talk to a seasoned pro, and he or she will probably tell you that journalism cannot be taught. Yes, young raw talent can be honed and sharpened by working alongside the experienced journalist. But essential qualities such as having a nose for a good story cannot be implanted. They must be there in the first place. You are either born with ink in your veins, or you are not.
Some journalists like to envelop the journalistic process in a certain mystique. The ‘journalism cannot be taught’ argument is one manifestation of this. It suggests journalism is some higher art form that can only be practised successfully by those blessed ...
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