Should I do "more important" journalism?
How we value our work and self worth
My husband asked me an interesting question the other day. “Do you miss writing important news stories?” It was a completely innocent question but one that felt very loaded.
It seemed to imply that what I currently do is not very important and is in some ways lacking. That was not his intention at all. He was simply asking if I missed the buzz of the news room, chasing breaking news stories and never knowing what I would be reporting on from one hour to the next.
My response was that I’d come to realise that journalism can have an impact in many different ways. I now mostly write about running, and I’m also a running coach. I have genuinely seen running change people’s lives. I have seen the confidence it gives women, particularly after having children, and I have written many inspiring stories.
To me this is just as important as the stories I wrote as a news reporter, and in many ways these running stories have an even more significant impact on someone’s life, than reading about crime, politics or health.
But it did make me think about the value we place on different types of journalism. On training courses journalism is often divided into hard and soft news, and the implication is that soft news is in some ways less important.
It reminds me of the time a mentor once said to me “please don’t end up working in features, you are too good a news reporter”, as if working in features was some kind of lower value career trajectory.
I have often pondered this myself especially when working so closely with FFJ co-founder Emma Wilkinson. Emma writes some pretty meaty stuff in the world of health and medicine, and is often buried in an investigation. Her articles have been mentioned in Parliament and her work has won several awards.
I on the other hand write about running and fitness. In comparison it seems very superficial. But then I have to take a step back and remember that one person’s rubbish is another person’s treasure.
For every piece I have written on how many press-ups I did in a month, there is a deep dive on running and its intersection with pregnancy, blood tests, eating disorders, mental health, alcoholism, chronic illness, disability, sustainability and more. And I love nothing more than debunking a health myth and calling out marketing BS.
This may be fluffy lifestyle content to some readers, but to others it is a vital source of objective information which helps them to continue running during pregnancy or the nudge they need to ask for help if they are struggling with depression.
It might not be reporting on the American election or the devastating floods in Valencia but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value, isn’t worthy, or is not important.
All beats of journalism are valid and whatever niche you work in you should be proud of what you are creating. As freelancers we have the privilege of choosing what area of journalism we work in, so rather than worrying about whether it is ‘worthy’ or not, we should instead focus on the value it does bring.
Some days I do miss the buzz of a crazy deadline and going out to report on the scene. But most of the time I feel incredibly lucky that I get to write about something I am passionate about, and share it with an audience who also deeply care about the subject. And as a freelance I get to choose my projects and get on my soapbox about barriers to women’s participation in sport. I might not be chasing ambulances any longer but I remain a valuable member of the journalism ecosystem.
Behind the byline
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Triumph of the week
Getting to choose book covers - all will be revealed soon!
That feeling when
The to-do list keeps getting pushed to the next day
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Bye for now!
I do miss the buzz of the newsroom, as it was the funniest place to work and the banter was actually hilarious. But I have always valued features more highly than 'hard news'. As a reporter I often felt that side was very much about putting ourselves into peoples lives where we could do harm (death knocks, inquests), or just getting the latest 'angle' on something that everyone would have forgotten about a week later - something urgent, but ultimately not important. Features allow so much more scope to really get into deeper issues rather than what has happened on a given day. And your writing about running and women's health is great to read, and really important (especially the whole post motherhood area).
Wednesday. Rain. Always more incentive to read posts that pop up early hour. Coffee , my English black aging lab laying , full , satisfied from breakfast and I just discovered you . Seriously? You question your stories aren’t “serious enough” not Journalism. Or hard news . Perhaps not but as striking and informative as the buzzz of newsroom and deadlines. I thrived when younger in such world and media press for a US Senator (D) it was addictive , infectious. I’m in the beginning of middle of end of my time. I’ve always been a storyteller . That’s what I do now. In the quiet moments. You’re a great writer . Seems you traded the words of news for the roads. Keep on pushing! Jenn