I had this romantic notion of journalism.  I envisioned journalists traveling corners of the world for truth.  Verifying through extensive research and fact checking, the validity of their stories.

I picture a journalist much like an archeologist – actually, in my head, my inner-journalist is wearing an Indiana Jones outfit, sans whip, and has just landed in the nick of time to get his story to the editor at the last minute – again.   But the editor doesn’t mind – he knows the story will be good.  The story will have substance.  And he knows his journalist has sources he probably won’t disclose, but he has them – to back up his words.

That’s the way I picture it anyway.

But it’s not really the case these days is it?  Such a shame, because some media outlets today have turned a dignified profession into an embarrasing tabloid one.

There are a couple of books I read and really enjoyed that enlightened me more on this topic – having more to do with how the press affect on-going cases in the public eye.  We now have a ‘court of public opinion’ rather than a ‘jury of our peers’ when it comes to high profile cases,  thanks to the media.

Jodi Picoult “The Pact” and Gillian Flynn “Gone Girl” touch on this powerfully.  Not everything is as it seems …

During research (yes, I do research) for a piece I wrote, I had the misfortune to read some articles by a ‘respected’ journalist that has made my blood boil.  Much to my chagrin, I keep reading it too.  But,  there are others who read the same piece that do not consider there is ‘another side.’  Or that *Shock* perhaps the journalist isn’t being entirely truthful.

I won’t mention the author or the topic – but suffice it to say, his work was peppered with his own obvious tainted feelings on his subject of choice.  It’s hard to refrain from a rebuttal, but I promised I would.  I keep my promises.

You could say that my last few paragraphs are equally guilty of being biased – but, this is my blog – stuffed full of my own opinions, I’ve certainly never claimed to be a resource for fact and news.

On the upside, I haven’t thought of Jodi Arias in a while – the media moves on and so do our thoughts.  Of course, when a new jury is selected for the penalty phase of her trial,  we’ll be inundated with her again.