"Interesting if true"

It's so funny the things that entertain journalists and social-media people. In fact, there are Twitter feeds and Facebook pages dedicated exclusively to the jokes, trends and pictures that journalists like. Among those loved things, however, is breaking news. Many a journalist dreams of the opportunity to present a news story *first* - before anyone else gets the scoop, before anyone else gets the first interview or first confirmation.

In my opinion, sports media loves to break news the most. Every reporter, with or without aspirations to move on to the big sports network, craves the chase of the story tip. Hearing about trouble in the clubhouse, discovering an undisclosed injury or finding out about a milestone trade is the stuff of dreams.

But Dan Gillmor, Tuesday's early morning session speaker, made me reconsider this hunger. Gillmor made some pointed statements about how the need to break news often takes over for accuracy and fairness, almost as if journalism is being sacrificed for the sake of being first. It's such a grade-school idea - the first in line is the leader, is the best in class, is the greatest at something, and what reporter doesn't want to be number one?

Gillmor also made mention to the idea of "interesting if true." I laughed when I heard this for a few reasons. One, any story is going to be more interesting to a reader if it is true. And two, the NHL fans I follow on my personal Twitter use that particular phrase as a way to poke fun at the hockey journalists consistently speculating on their next reporting topic. (The off-season truly is the worst.)

I truly think people in the sports-writing profession are the most guilty of this breaking news fever. Every reporter wants to get the first taste of a story, and it sometimes feels like they end up avoiding the basics of news-gathering to obtain it. It's like they'd rather have half-hearted attempts at getting their facts straight just for the sake of the being the one to receive appropriate "I was here first" credit. 

Currently, we are 24 hours away from the NBA draft and 48 hours away from the NHL draft, and my sports news consists mostly of which big-name players are opting out of their contracts to become a free agent and which player will be trade bait for each respective draft. 

I can almost picture these sports journalists salivating every time their phones or inboxes "ding" with the prospect of a hot tip. And yet, I am now further educated by Gillmor's presentation about this very topic - is breaking news really worth the sacrifice of good journalism? 

In thinking about the sports aspect, a friend of mine happened to tweet something during Gillmor's session about the lack of movement of said big-name players, and his timing couldn't have been more perfect:

Hmm ... Interesting if true.


Laura M. Medina
Montini Catholic High School
Lombard, Illinois