Journalists are intent on condemning their own profession. Almost every day, in one newspaper or another, I come across an article about the death of journalism. The last one I read was by a French author, Marie Bénilde, in the International Herald Tribune. It resembled every other article I'd read on the subject. In brief, newspapers are finished and journalists are an endangered species. Why would the IHT print its own death warrant?
Journalism is not going to die. It will evolve. Newspapers will reduce in number rather than disappear entirely. After all, we just saw the re-launch of France-Soir – although I think it has a design problem. Objects grow more seductive when they become rare. Newspapers should therefore look attractive and alluring, not garish.
I once wrote that the starting point for innovation is to change the way you think. I stopped thinking of myself purely as a journalist long ago. These days I consider myself a writer. I'll write anything: books, articles, blog entries, press releases, brochures and slogans. What I have to sell is the craft of writing. And as an occasional editor, I can assure you that not everybody knows how to write.
I'm not going to waste my life trying to predict the circumstances of my death. In fact, I'm going to try and put the big day off for as long as possible. Fellow journalists: live long, and prosper.
