Ah, I love journalism.
Received an e-mail a few minutes ago from someone associated with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. The person, though a fan of the league, actually told me my column was accurate and on point. The person also directed me toward a Tweet from Jayda Evans, who covers college and professional women’s basketball for the Seattle Times. This is what she wrote:
- You’re an idiot @jeffpearlman. I’ll be in NYC on Thurs. for @seattlestorm-@nyliberty game. Come so I can say to your face.
Where to begin? I’ll start here: Jayda, do you cover the league as a journalist, or are you a fan? Because, quite frankly, I can’t imagine any sort of true journalist writing such a thing; es
pecially about the league he/she covers. As a fan, hey, OK. It’s your right to criticize and rip and slam at will. I get that sort of stuff all the time (as you probably do, too). But as a journalist, eh, not so much. Were I your editor at the Times—and be glad I’m not—I call you into the office for an expletive-laced conversation on the role of reporters in 21st century newspaper. Then I reassign you to the police beat, where they teach Reporting: 101 (Rule 1: Be unbiased).
I’m not mad. Not at all. But as I stated in my recent Jay Glazer critique, I am bothered by the lack of journalistic sensibilites being exercised out there. A line has been crossed—perhaps permanently—and it bodes poorly for our profession.
