Q&A with @SadJournalist

Get the bottle of whiskey from under your desk.

I had the opportunity to do a Q&A with one of my favorite Twitter personalities, @SadJournalist, the go to twitter account for all things sadness related to journalism. How would you have answered the last question @SadJournalist asked: “Will I still be a sad journalist when I get laid-off?”?

Kevin: So, why so sad?

Sad: I’m sad because this thing of ours is dying from self-inflicted wounds.

Kevin: Who do you think is the main cause for the wounds?

Sad: The sad truth is that it’s complicated. Drop in revenue from a crisis in advertising has led to a drop in staffing. As a result, we have sad journalists everywhere trying to cover the same amount of topics with less boots in the ground.
Sad: But we’re still bleeding money, so there is no visible end.

Kevin: Is there any hope to stop the bleeding and turn things around?

Sad: Sadly, that depends on how you define “turn things around.” I’m not sure we’ll ever get back to the glory days where reporters tripped over each other to cover beats and copy editors had time to read inside copy.
But…. I do think we’re giving it our best shot as an industry. I’m just worried that we embraced “the new world” a little too late.

Kevin: Has there been any happiness in the past year?

Sad: Yes. But it’s been overshadowed by the sadness. I’ll give you an example.
Sad: It’s always really cool to see who wins the Pulitzer and for what pieces of work. But this year’s list was bitter sweet because some winners had been laid-off and some winning publications are facing historic cuts.
It made me sad to wonder what was more important: Winning a Pulitzer or having a job.

Kevin: That is sad. Do you have any advice for journalism students getting ready to graduate in a few days?

Sad: I actually know of few of those future sad journalists. They’re sadder than I am. I just tell them that there is still a great need for this thing of ours. We’re just waiting for word that the iceberg has cleared.

Kevin: Are you worried about your job?

Sad: I am. But I’m more worried about journalism. I’ll find another job doing something else. Or I won’t and sponge off sad family members. But I’d hate to see good people lose their jobs only to see journalism turned into a twitter update.

Kevin: Why did you start a twitter account? Can people find you anywhere else?

Sad: I started that account because people in my newsroom got tired of listening to my sadness. So I figured I’d be depressed online and hopefully talk about some of the stuff you can hear in any newsroom.
I’m nowhere else right now. But I would like to see a website started where we can all be sad together.

Kevin: Sharing the sadness. I like it. What do you do to fight the sadness?

Sad: I hug the newspaper every morning and tell myself that it’s all a bad dream.

Kevin: No puppies? Ice cream? Some of my friends like beer. Just an idea.

Sad: I tried Zanex. But the side effects made me too sad to keep going. A friend tells me that living in denial also works wonders.

Kevin: Ok, I would like to wrap up this Q&A with some word associations. Ready?

Sad: yup

Kevin: Furlough

Sad: vacation

Kevin: Rocky Mountain News

Sad: martyr

Kevin: Breaking news

Sad: our calling

Kevin: Layoffs

Sad: our destiny

Kevin: Intern

Sad: pawns

Kevin: Journalism

Sad: sadness

Kevin: Ok Sad Journalist, thanks for your time. Anything you’d like to add — any parting words?

Sad: I do have one question for you.

Kevin: Shoot

Sad: Will I still be a sad journalist when I get laid-off?

Kevin: Good question. I think it’s something you’re born with. You either love journalism or you don’t. It just depends if your heart can take it.

Sad: Not sure that it can. Sad.