Trying to stand out in the crowd with some kind of wacky 7000-word 'I ate nothing but raw honey for a month and look what happened to me' think-piece is guaranteed to sink you with all the rest, who are all doing the exact same shit. They can be funny, and detailed, and even moving, but news organisations are already full of opinions, what they need are writers who can keep themselves out of the story and just tell it straight.
This is not just a generational thing - the young reporters only have these resumes full of 'look at me, look at me' pieces because they haven't had a chance to work in an environment that offers anything else. There are just as many similar pieces from Generation X and baby boomer writers, who are also keen to step out from behind the byline and let us know how they feel about absolutely everything.
A lot of the first-person pieces come with the very best of intentions - there are always a lot of 'how it felt to cover' columns after any major event like an earthquake or fire or other natural disaster, and they can be illuminating, but can also get stuck in cloying sentimentality, or desperate attempts to be profound.
And some people really do find it cathartic to express what is happening in their lives through the medium of the mass media, and we can't hold that against them, even if we can't always understand what they are getting out of it.
There are even places where the first-person wankathon has a vital place. The travel section of the newspaper depends on personal experience, and a bit of context can help with basic criticism and reviews.
So these things can be interesting. But they can also be cynical attempts to build a brand in a media world, as the loudest and most boorish voices always seem to fall on their feet, while competent, industrious professionals do the actual work, don't give a shit about the recognition, and are overlooked.
Maybe it's an old-fashioned conceit that the author of a story with any kind of news substance should stay right the fuck out, and let the facts, and people involved, speak for themselves. No feels, no personal emotions, or you're no better than the master banter artists on the telly.
It's social media and blog culture seeping through into news. Nobody actually reads blogs anymore - and yeah, we get the fuckin' irony here - but nobody needs to read them because all that personal bullshit is in the paper, and on the TV and radio news shows.
You can still raise awareness of issues without getting directly involved - journalism is all about finding the right person to talk to for a story. Instead, the weekend supplements are full of more and more stories from writers about the pains of a family member, or how it feels to lose someone you love.
And while they are sometimes beautifully written, they can never escape that waft of narcissism and over-familiarity. The writer is not your mate, and you don't have to care about their sad, contemplative or wacky adventures.
- Ron Troupe
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