The so-called downfall of a top journalist is hardly good news. It doesn’t bode well that people fail at all. It certainly isn’t positive if a person of prominence does so too.
It doesn’t mean we’re at fault as a society. It means things went wrong because of actions that were taken by individuals acting on their own beliefs and by their own design. This is the way bad choices are made and how scandals unfold.
It can be difficult to track these things. There are journalists who spend heaps of time looking at those who are heading down a wrong path. It’s a twisting and winding journey they make and it has so many avenues at times it can go cold.
All investigation is hard
The way to go about tracking a person’s downward spiral is to begin with who they are to start with. It builds an appreciation of the height they are falling from. It also lays a groundwork for contemplation of what they are trying to do and why.
It’s not as if life is tough up there. There are perks to all jobs and jobs in media have more than others. It’s a fine life so to speak for those who want to work at it and do it well. The hard graft is seen by the public and there’s time for enjoying the fruits of labour later.
I’ve known of journalists who pull over thirty hours of work without a break and they barely scratch the surface of their story. It takes many more sessions than a first breaking in effort to bring out the real story behind a crass scandal breaking in a public person’s life.
Due to the nature of the high life it takes a journalist into corridors of power they’ve never seen – and likely won’t see again. They’ll meet people they’ve never heard of and encounter crimes they can’t report because it’s not their story or it’s too difficult to extricate.
The job never ends
The life of a journalist like this is not easy to pin down. There are few examples of competent individuals because of the hours, the messes that encounters create, and the travelling involved too.
It’s not psychologically burdensome but physically demanding. It puts enormous pressure on physicality. It’s an encounter a few have likened to their experiences in military combat. It can reach a level of tension that’s difficult to experience elsewhere.
The truth is the job is never over. There’s always another scandal breaking or another person making their worst decision yet. It’s a career that builds on itself too because successes bring more skills and techniques to employ to catch and pin down harder-to-get targets.
A culture it creates
The good aspect of investigative work is it inspires others. There are chances to stop a scandal in its tracks. It may be possible to use a technicality in an employee’s contract to terminate it. It’s also possible to phone in the police to discuss a person’s behaviour.
It creates a culture of dependence on good work. It also inculcates a way of seeing life through the lens of a work ethic. The social dynamic is hardly rewarding to those who want real information. The practical results are gained by curiosity in a diligent targeting at truth.
The progress journalists make is felt in the rewards of having a story published or findings printed. It builds a more complete picture that brings interest. We feel we learn more about place, and ourselves, because we’re looking closer with a more analytical eye.
The putt-offs on television with lighthearted jokes is beside the point of what it’s like to stare into darkness. A person intent on crime creates harm and causes pain. They make sure others suffer. There’s rarely a scandal that doesn’t involve a victim and it’s not always easy to get over.
