The Reporter's Prayer

May I give thanks for the opportunity to tell stories that matter, that make a difference, and leave the viewer a better informed citizen.

May I not profit off exacerbating the viewer's base emotions and capitalize nonchalantly off the death, destruction, and mayhem that goes hand in hand with broadcast journalism.

May I not let the sadness and despair from the misery and death I see overcome me, but may my ears never become dull to the sound of a fellow human being crying out in pain.

May I always treat subjects with respect, for they graciously allow me access to intimate parts of their life, and they expect me to use that power to paint them not flatteringly, not deprecatingly, but accurately.

May I not become "that reporter" who somehow believes they are superior because they are on television, the reporter who treats photogs like shit, the reporter that looks at a subject with hungry eyes for the quick soundbyte and not to try and understand and relate to them as a human being, the reporter whose ego comes first and journalism comes second...for they are not reporters, they are just on tv.

May I give both sides to every story, so that even two diametrically opposite and bitter opponents can both look at the same piece and think they were given their fair shake.

May I have the courage to speak up against my producer if I believe the story cannot be run in an accurate and fair manner in time for the show.

May I defer to the wisdom of those with decades of experience in broadcast journalism in the event of a disagreement, but be ready to defend my beliefs if I feel strongly about the matter.

But most of all, may I remember that I have the power of the microphone, and that power can be used to illuminate, inform, and even to do good, but it can also be used to slander, misrepresent, misquote, and cause needless trauma. May I have the courage of my convictions to practice the former over the latter.