What makes a good journalist?

Even journalists will disagree on the order of importance of the qualities that go to make a good journalist.(1) But they are all agreed that paramount in the make-up of a journalist(2) is a deep and genuine interest in people — good people, bad people (who often make good news!), famous people, humble people, rich people, poor people, old people, young people, Black people, White people — people of every type — everywhere.

Many things. Even journalists will disagree on the order of importance of the qualities that go to make a good journalist.(1) But they are all agreed that paramount in the make-up of a journalist(2) is a deep and genuine interest in people — good people, bad people (who often make good news!), famous people, humble people, rich people, poor people, old people, young people, Black people, White people — people of every type — everywhere.

A person who has not this interest in other people will never make a good journalist. So. if you are not very interested in other people and think that most people are a bit of a nuisance(3) and you prefer not to have anything more to do with them than is necessary,(4) journalism is not for you.

Hand in hand(5) with this interest in people, should go the qualities of sympathy(6) (so that you can see the other side of an issue even if you disagree with the person who holds it), open-mindedness(7) (so that you do not make a hasty ill-informed judgement(8)) and an inquiring mind (so that you can really get to the bottom of the thing you are asking about). Last, but certainly not least,(9) the journalist needs to have humility.

That does not mean that he goes around like a Sunday School teacher!(10) But it does mean (11) that the man who thinks he is a pretty clever chap(12) and does not mind the world knowing about it, will never make a good journalist. The journalist — certainly the reporter — spends most of his day talking or listening to other people, and none of us is very fond of the man who is a show-off, who thinks he knows it all.

So these are the basic qualities for a journalist, but the required qualifications are very different things.

Let us look at the qualifications a journalist needs. Obviously he must be well enough educated to be able to write fairly clearly in whatever language it is he hopes to work in.(13) The best journalists write simple, plain, direct English, generally preferring short words to long ones.

What about the rest of the educational qualifications for a journalist? Often it is the pupil who was fairly good at five or six subjects, and not brilliant at just one, who makes the best journalist. These sort of people seem rather better balanced,(14) as it were,(15) for the sort of life a journalist leads — often with a nose in half a dozen things in one day — than the specialist, who was so interested in, say, biology, that he never took much • interest in history, geography, literature and other subjects.

But of course, nobody can say exactly what the best qualifications for a career in journalism are. They will vary enormously, according to the individual. There are plenty of highly successful journalists who were generally at the bottom of the class when they were at school, while many a man(16) with a university degree has failed to make any mark in journalism.(17)

Vocabulary

1	the qualities that go to make a good journalist	качества, которые необходимы, чтобы стать хорошим журналистом
2	paramount in the make-up of a journalist is…	основным качеством журналиста является
3	a bit of a nuisance	они вас немного раздражают
4	you prefer not to have anything more to do with them than is necessary	вы предпочитаете не иметь с ними дела больше, чем это необходимо
5	hand in hand	рука об руку
6	should go the qualities of sympathy	рука об руку) с интересом к людям должно идти сочувствие к ним
7	open-mindedness	широта кругозора; непредубежденность; восприимчивость
8	judgement	суждение, мнение, взгляд, оценка
	a hasty ill-informed judgement	опрометчивое, необдуманное суждение, основанное на недостаточной информации
9	Last, but certainly not least	последнее, но, конечно, не менее важное
10	That does not mean that he goes around like a Sunday School teacher!	это не значит, что он должен вести себя как учитель церковной воскресной школы!
11	But it does mean…	но это значит… .
12	a pretty clever chap	очень умный парень.
	to feel pretty well	чувствовать себя вполне прилично
	he is pretty (well) tired of the whole business	ему все это порядком надоело
13	to be able to write fairly clearly in whatever language it is he hopes to write in	уметь писать достаточно ясно, на каком бы языке он ни собирался писать
14	seem rather better balanced	кажутся наиболее подходящими
15	as it were	так сказать
16	many a man	многие (книжный стиль)
17	to make a mark in journalism	достичь успеха в журналистике
	Quality	качество
	genuine	подлинный, истинный, настоящий; genuine interest искренний интерес
	famous	знаменитый
	humble	скромный
	issue	1. спорный вопрос, предмет обсуждения; 2. выпуск, издание, номер, экземпляр (газеты, журнала и т.п.)
	to inquire	спрашивать, узнавать
	inquiring mind	пытливый ум
	humility	скромность
	obviously	явно, ясно, очевидно
	qualification	квалификация, подготовленность
	educational qualifications	профессиональная подготовка
	educated	образованный; развитой
	educated mind	развитой ум
	educated taste	развитой вкус
	plain	1. ясный; явный, очевидный; 2. простой, незамысловатый

Prepositions

to write in the language
in plain (direct) English (Russian)
to be good (bad, brilliant) at smth
to be interested in
to take an interest in
to have an interest in
to listen to

Exercises

1) Read the text and translate it into Russian consulting the vocabulary

2) Look through the text and find English equivalents for the following Russian phrases

быть в классе среди неуспевающих учеников
профессиональная подготовка журналиста
предпочитать короткие слова длинным
сделать поспешный вывод, основанный на недостаточной информации
стать хорошим журналистом
какие качества важнее, чтобы стать хорошим журналистом
на простом, ясном, понятном английском языке
проводить большую часть дня, беседуя с людьми
заниматься массой дел в течение одного дня
лучшая подготовка для профессии журналиста

3) Answer the following questions about the text

What quality is the most important in the make-up of a future journalist?
What kind of people should a journalist be interested in?
What other qualities are essential for a future journalist?
Why is it necessary for a future journalist to have sympathy for other people?
Why aren’t people usually fond of a person who is a show-off and thinks that he knows everything?
Why does the author think that a journalist needs humility?
How should a journalist write?
Is it good if a journalist uses very long sentences? Why?
Is it better for a future journalist to be good at several subjects than to be brilliant at just one? Why?
What kind of life does a journalist usually lead?
What kind of conclusion does the author come to?
Do you agree with the author’s conclusion? Give your reasons.

4) Read the following sentences and develop the ideas expressed in them by adding one or two sentences logically connected with them

Many things make a good journalist.
Even journalists can’t agree which of them are more important.
First of all a journalist must be interested in people of every type.
One who has not this interest in people will not make a good journalist.
A journalist should have the qualities of sympathy, open-mindedness and an inquiring mind.
He needs to have humility.
He deals with people.
None of us is fond of the man who is a show-off.
The journalist must be a well-educated man.
He must be able to write in clear, simple, direct language. ‘
He must be interested in many subjects but not in just one.
Nobody can say what the best qualifications for a career in journalism are.

5) Translate the following word combinations into Russian. Learn the English variants and use them in sentences of your own

basic	arguments
	facts
	principles
	issues
	industry
	research
	problems

genuine	manuscript
	signature
	Rubens
	diamond
	pearls
	wool
	breed
	sorrow
	antique

famous	journalist
	painter
	writer
	scientist
	film-maker
	producer
	editor
	reporter

humble	person
	home
	occupation
	smile
	request
	truth

plain	speech
	writing
	articulation
	statement
	answer
	language
	woman
	food
	meaning
	fact
	face

6) Match the meaning with the correct word

basic	having a mind open to new ideas
famous	having or showing a modest opinion of oneself, one’s position, etc.
genuine	said, made or done too quickly
successful	very bright; splendid; causing admiration
humble	quick in learning and understanding things, skilful
open-minded	above all others; the most important
ill-informed	true; really what it is said to be
inquiring	known widely; having fame; celebrated
plain	having success
brilliant	fundamental
hasty	in the habit of asking for information
clever	simple; ordinary; without luxury
paramount	based on poor information

7) Work out which adjectives in Exercise 6 (basic, genuine, famous, humble, plain) can be used with the following nouns

journalist
signature
mind
people
judgement
pupil
interest
answer
problem
qualification
quality
question
picture
actor
principle
painter
fact
face
language
truth
argument
statement

8. Explain in your own words what we mean when we say that

a)   someone is
a humble person
a show-off
an open-minded person
a famous public figure
a well-balanced person
a bit of a nuisance
a pretty clever chap
b)   someone has
an inquiring mind
a good educational background
a genuine interest in people
the basic qualities of a journalist
c)   one
is good at writing fairly clearly
will make a good journalist
is at the bottom of the class
has failed to make any mark in journalism

9a) Study the difference between clear and plain

Clear and plain mean easy to see, hear or understand, but they are used differently. For example, we can say: a clear sky, a clear day, clear air (without clouds, mist or fog), or clear water, clear glass, clear crystal, or, figuratively speaking, clear thinking, a clear mind, a clear style.

Plain would not be used with these words. Plain English is English without any long or literary words. Clear English is English in which thought is expressed clearly. If the water in the river is clear, you can see things at the bottom. Plain water is water without anything in it, like tap-water.

9b) Try to think of situations where the following sentences might be used

His explanation was clear.
The sky is clear today.
It was a clear case of murder.
The road is clear.
He has a clear vision of reality.
She wore a plain blue dress.
The food was plain but good.
She was a very plain girl (not beautiful; not pretty).
He was a plain working man.
His plain remarks sometimes offend people.
His meaning was perfectly plain.
The house was in plain sight.

9c) Explain the meaning of the saying «Clear thinkers always have a clear style «

9d) Study the following phrases and give sentences of your own

as clear as day — ясно как день, совершенно ясно
as clear as a bell — ясно слышимый, отчетливый
as clear as crystal — четкий, ясный (например, о стиле)
in plain English/Russian language — без обиняков, прямо (ср. Я тебе русским языком говорю!)
a plain-clothes detective — сыщик, полицейский в штатском

9e) Remember

Plain living and high thinking means having plain, simple food and leading a philosophic life.

10) Explain in English what is meant by the phrases in list (a)

(the phrases in list (b) will help you).
Translate the phrases into Russian:

A

a politically-minded person
a broad-minded teacher
a socially-minded scientist
a narrow-minded specialist
a practically-minded woman
an absent-minded scientist
a scientifically-minded student
a high-minded writer
an internationally-minded writer
a fair-minded person
a worldly-minded person
a feeble-minded person

B

one who is interested in social activity
one who is interested in international affairs
one who is interested in politics
one who is interested in scientific problems
one who is interested in science
one who is so deep in thought that he does not notice what is happening around one who is just
one who is subnormal in intelligence
one who does not understand or sympathize with the ideas of others
one who has high ideals or principles
one who is concerned with or interested in material things

11) The following exercise will help you get ready for a discussion on some of the problems dealing with the make-up of a journalist.

a) Answer the questions by choosing one of the alternatives and give reasons for your choice:

1. Why do you think a future journalist should be interested in people?

to be able to understand their lives better
to be able to make his articles more understandable
to be able to make his articles more interesting
to be able to get more information from people
to be able to do his work better professionally

2. Why do you think a journalist should be sympathetic towards people?

to understand people’s needs and hopes better
to help people in every possible way
to see the other sides of the issue he is writing about
to avoid hasty ill-informed judgements
to understand other people’s feelings or viewpoints

3. Why do you think a journalist needs humility?

to be able to get on easily with people
not to impose his views on people
to make a favourable impression on people
to make people talk with him
to win the respect and Sympathy of people
to make people favour him with their confidence

4. Who do you think may be considered a well-educated person?

The man who

has graduated from a university
is brilliant at many subjects
is a keen reader of books and newspapers
has a wide knowledge of international events
has a good educational background
is a self-made person with a great range of information in different fields
can behave appropriately under different circumstances

5. Who do you think may be considered the best qualified person to take up journalism as a career?

A person who

has graduated from the school of journalism
can write in simple, plain, clear language
is good at many subjects rather than brilliant at just one
has mastered typing, short-hand writing and driving a car
has worked on a newspaper for a long time
has contributed to a newspaper as a non-staff correspondent
is experienced as a journalist

A person who is good at

gathering important and interesting information
speaking forejgn languages
taking interviews
reporting events
selecting and presenting news

6. Why do you think a journalist must have an inquiring mind?

to get as much information as possible
to find out all the details about the event he is reporting
to be able to understand people and their qualities better
to be able to see the background of the event he is analysing
to be able to present the event from an unusual viewpoint
not to make a hasty ill-informed judgement

b) Sum up the information in (a) and answer these questions

Do you agree that journalists write for people and about people?
Is it difficult or easy for a humble person to attract people’s attention to what he says or does?
How can a humble person get people interested in what he says or does? Comment on the following:
«Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more. » (Cowper)

12) Practise asking questions. Imagine that you are an editor-in-chief and are interviewing an applicant for a job on your newspaper.

Ask’ him

whether he has had any experience in journalism
what newspaper he has worked for
what his mark in English was at school
why he has decided to take up journalism as a career
what subjects he was interested in at school
what was his favourite subject at school
what mark he got for the subject he liked best at school
whether he can speak any foreign languages
whether he can type
whether he is good at short-hand writing
what speciality he would prefer to work at
what newspaper he finds most interesting
whether he is a keen reader of newspapers
whether he has ever had any experience in conducting interviews

13) Express your agreement or disagreement using the following expressions.

Give arguments for your viewpoint.

Agreement:

I think so;
I believe so;
Right;
You’re right;
I agree with you there.

Disagreement:

I don’t think so;
I hardly think …;
I’m afraid not;
I’m afraid you’re wrong;
Nothing of the kind.

Do you agree that

a successful journalist is one who works in a big newspaper?
an ill-informed judgement is one which is based on rich information?
a hasty answer is one which is given without thinking? without deep knowledge? too quickly (hastily)?
a brilliant pupil is one who knows a little about many subjects? a lot about many subjects? a lot about just one subject?
an open-minded journalist is one who easily changes his opinion?
a person with an inquiring mind is one who asks many questions? reads a lot of books? asks for information? doesn’t know anything well?
a clear style is one which contains many short words? expresses the author’s ideas clearly? can be easily understood without a great deal of thought?

What makes a good journalist?