The Dawn of the Me Reporter

In the wake of the news that CNN was laying off dozens of editors and photojournalists, Stephen Colbert announced the launch of the Me Reporters.

It’s really not funny that in this time when we most need journalists on the street we’re losing them. There is a place for first person reporting, for original source video – but it will always need the context that the act of journalism brings to it.

“Act of journalism” is a funny phrase, isn’t it? I agree, but I believe that journalism is an act that goes well beyond simply documenting that something happened. It involves explaining why something happened, as well, and what it means. That’s not something that individuals who witness a solitary event can really do.