Street Roots is proud of the work we produce in an effort to better the community and the world
Quality journalism matters, especially in a time when the media industry is being turned upside down. Some will tell you that journalism is dead. That’s the furthest thing from the truth. Possibly the traditional model or platform for quality journalism is suffering, but dead? Journalism? No way. It’s simply evolving.
Here’s the thing. Traditional news platforms didn’t have anymore of a beat on the truth than the media climate we find ourselves in today. Sure, there have been times when the idea of being a watchdog and delivering a community service has shone in both our community and in our country. However, traditional newspapers have also supported many devastating policies throughout our country’s history — oftentimes completely disconnected from the issues and people they are reporting on.
For example, how many people of color do we have in newsrooms across our state covering the issues of culturally specific communities? Where are the Latino, Native American and black voices, to name a few, on our editorial boards and in our newsrooms? Are there people of color teaching and mentoring people in our local universities? Why aren’t Oregon foundations funding journalism when it’s equity they seek? Maintaining quality journalism about the people, for the people, while working to make the world a more just place is the single hardest thing for any media organization to fund, including Street Roots.
Moreso, it’s nearly impossible for blue-collar and poor kids, from anywhere in the world, to actually make it in journalism today. If you’re lucky enough to attend journalism school as a poor kid, it’s almost impossible to maintain a living in your 20s to craft your profession — leaving newsrooms today covering important racial and socio-economical issues through a lens that is almost exclusively white and privileged. It’s a sad affair.
Last week, Street Roots was honored to receive the 2016 Humanitarian Award from Willamette Writers, one of the largest writers’ guilds in the country. Big kudos should go to Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl, Reporter Emily Green, Editorial Assistant Monica Kwasnik and all of our freelancers. They work hard to maintain a quality newspaper every single week.
Below is a portion of the talk I gave at the awards ceremony:
To quote Hunter S. Thompson, “If I’d written all the truth I knew for the past 10 years, about 600 people – including me – would be rotting in prison cells from Rio to Seattle today. Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism.”
The reality is that Street Roots isn’t interested in who people are sleeping with, or what drugs you are taking to get you through the night, or your past mistakes or missteps.
Street Roots’ editorial focus is to provide quality journalism and commentary that makes the world we live in a better place. It’s our goal to provide the public with road map journalism that works to tackle the complex problems facing our community and the world.
We are a small train that carries a heavy load. We work hard to highlight the many voices of the people — the commoners, the freaks, the doers, the immigrants and refugees, the homeless and the huddled masses. Our interest is trying to leave the world a better place than how we found it through writing.
Of course, Street Roots isn’t the only media outlet in town providing quality journalism. There are many. Saying that, we are proud of the work we do with such a small news team and hope readers understand how much we care about the content we are maintaining.
Israel Bayer is the executive director of Street Roots. You can reach him at israel@streetroots.org or follow him on Twitter @israelbayer.
