Journalism's Decline

There was a time when journalism was respected. I have seriously considered foraying into the field myself, but I often stop and wonder: is it worth it? There are reasons why I question the profession in this day and age.

Take the past week's coverage of the Herman Cain sex allegations, for example. First of all, all of the women accusing Mr. Cain of sexual harassment are anonymous. Second of all, there are no details about what happened. Third, Herman Cain was not a part of the "settlements" thus he cannot say what exactly happened.

And this puddle of anonymous non-facts warrants 90 articles from Politico alone?

Journalism used to entail careful research, fact checking and a strictly adhered to and respected code of ethics. It was the journalist's job to expose criminal activity and uncover seedy business deals. It was the journalist's job to remain totally and completely impartial to political parties and beliefs and report solidified facts to the public. Because when the truth is told, people generally make a logical decision based on real facts.

Mr. Cain's "scandal" is not a fact. It is not a person. It is not a name. It is not a place, time or detailed account. It is a story, and by all accounts, seemingly nothing but fluffy fiction. It is the present state of "journalism" and I seriously doubt if it will be improving anytime soon.