That's not true.
I actually don't mind blogging or just writing, in general. In fact, I can write about a lot of things. I can write about food every day and why I think fried chicken works just as effectively as Zoloft. Or I can write about why I think dogs are great but cats are so-so. I can write about Venus and Mars. And why Venus is better than Mars.
What I can't write about -- after being a paid writer for the last seven years -- is journalism.
And, wouldn't you know it, it's a part of my job as a Jacobs Fellow here at KPBS. I am the co-host of Off Mic .
And I am struggling with it.
Why? It's because, to me, it goes against the grain of being a journalist.
We are trained not to say "I" in public. As in... "I don't believe you for one second, Mr. Politician, despite my avidly writing down what you are saying."
We are trained not to express an opinion.
Don't get me wrong, I say "I" a lot. But not when it comes to my work. And not when it's posted in public.
Not to mention that it's hard to write about my fellow reporters. I just started here. I just moved to town. I'm still looking for friends, for Pete's sake. I don't want to be the Lando of my newsroom. The Judas. The Freddo.
There are media watchers out there, like the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz , who do a great job. But it's a skill. It's one that I don't think I possess and definitely not while I am still a reporter.
How can I tell you about how frustrated I am that -- and, really, this is hypothetical -- a county supervisor doesn't call me back and then still try to interview that person the next day?
It's a balancing act between giving you a sneak peek as to what goes on in a newsroom and still trying to maintain a good relationship with your sources and co-workers.
So, what's a frustrated journalist to do?
I'll start with being honest with you.
And I'll try to write more. Promise.
-- Nicole Lozare is a reporter for KPBS News and co-host of Off Mic . Please read our guidelines before posting comments.
