Like a lot of the news industry, Media Scrum is taking a break for a month or so, because it's been a hell of a year, and we're going outside to sit in the sun for a while.
We've been ranting and raving for nearly a year now, and none of us thought we'd last that long, but we keep coming up with new things to moan about, so we're not going anywhere.
It's also a good chance for a bit of reflection. The Media Scrum crew have had the chance to expose some of their core beliefs on this site, and we're standing by all of them.
This is some of what we believe:
* The first rule of journalism is still 'fill the fucking space'.
* The second rule is 'you can't do journalism on an empty stomach'.
*The third rule is now apparently 'don't sexually abuse people, you fuckers', and we're embarrassed and ashamed that this has to be spelled out like this.
* The NZ news industry is full of great people doing tremendous work every single day, and most of them don't get enough recognition for their efforts, and it's no wonder so many of them are buggering off overseas.
* There are also some jerks.
* But no matter who they are, the hours are shit for everybody. No wonder it's becoming more of a young person's game.
* The news media is bigger than it looks, and can't be tied down as any one thing.
* Time is not on our side, and bullshit 'pivot to video' strategies are not helping.
* Scoops are everything, but they're not the only thing.
* Breaking news banners are broken.
* We're always falling down a photo hole, looking for that perfect shot. It doesn't mean we can just rip off a Facebook post for fun and profit.
* Never, ever read the comments.
* No, seriously, nobody gives a shit about your ideology
* Some people just want to burn the world down for the LOLs.
* You can't predict the weather or the traffic, but you can still report on it.
* The future is unwritten, but it won't be written by robots.
* There is great journalism everywhere, if you can be bothered to look.
* But too much 'look at me, look at me' going on.
* Anybody who keeps going on about fake news just sounds like a moron.
* We're too fucking white.
* We need to remember the easy mistakes.
* It's easy to laugh at the bloopers, but newsreaders are still humans under that make-up.
* Winston Peters is a total arsehole. Fuck him, a lot.
* The big news sites have far too much junk in their trunk.
* You might be right, but you don't have to be a dick about it.
* It's an endless cycle of bullshit, blatant disrespect and crap pay for journalists in this country, and we still fucking love it.
Happy holidays, everybody! See you in 2018.
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