I know Jason already covered this pretty well, but I was just re-reading the Poynter piece, and there is something that DMN editor Mike Wilson says that really, I think, gets to the heart of the challenges — I guess you could choose to call them opportunities — facing the modern-day journalist. So I thought I’d kind of separate it from the rest of the herd, and make sure everyone takes note.
But that summer at the Globe, I was focused on the Small Lessons every intern needs to learn: You get more from a face-to-face conversation than a phone interview. Do not assume you know how to spell anyone’s name, because if you write Steve you will find out too late that he spells it Stie4ve. Do your homework. If there’s a dog in the story, get the name of the dog, because the name will say something about the owner.
My dog’s name is Story.
Sorry, he said that here. I guess it will always haunt me, the image of some adorable dog chasing a ball or maybe another dog, and then you hear, “Come here, Story!” No. Let a dog be a dog.
Anyway, Rock of Truth is probably a better name for a dog — and definitely a champion thoroughbred — than Story. Speaking of better names for a dog …
Tyrion
Cersei
Daenerys
Samwell
Roose
Argus
Badger
Battleaxe
Bombay
Michael
Martin
Murphy
Cobra
Jon Cryer
Emerson
Kelsey Grammer
Hunter
Bunyan
Herod
Beast
Mr. Skibness
Morgan
Jean-Luc
Gates
Worf
Geordi
Keiko
Commander
Moriarty
Arsenal
Constantine
Katana
Lobo
Lil’ Jerry Seinfeld
Leopold
Holden (actually, I don’t know, maybe not)
Rabbit
Leopold
Winnie
Hazel
Grendel
Gulley
Garp
Hana
Claude
Archer
Krieger
LANA
Zhivago
Maurice
Lennie
The Dog of Tears
