Attention, Newspaper Reporters: This Might Be Why You Keep Getting Laid Off
The Poynter Institute takes its mission of journalism education very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that they've discovered this new "Craigslist" thing, and now they're committed to helping journalists keep their jobs by doing the least amount of work possible: "Each month, the site registers 14 million new classified ads. And wrapped up in lots of them are story ideas." Wow, really? Do tell us more.
I look in "lost+found." Sadly, someone's dignity is missing. As is a member of the Yoder clan's birth certificate. And, of course, cameras, dogs and more dogs are lost, too.
Those ads were all listed today. The rest I will link to, though, will span the last few days. I love this. If I miss a day of the newspaper, some of the previous day's ads might disappear. On craigslist, they simply move down the page. I can scan weeks of old ones.
Truly, a marvel of modern technology.
I ask not that we write about the things themselves, but the stories they tell us. Like the tip of an iceberg, all I see is a 1902 Navy anvil. What is the story that lingers beneath it?
We find those stories by asking questions about the things. Which ads prompt some of the strangest questions? My vote goes to the "wanted" ads.
What kind of person wants to buy a typewriter these days? Why doesn't the Air Force ROTC provide drill rifles to its students? Why is someone collecting hotel soaps? And why does this character want "an insanely weird job?"
And, of course, there are more.
Each of these is just a start, a nugget that prompts questions, and lets you know, without even leaving your desk, what people in your community are thinking, talking and caring about.
Gee, it's really shocking that daily newspapers are losing readers in droves, what with all the great story ideas floating around these days.
