Being human vs. being a journalist

    Writing stories about people that have recently died qualifies as one of the toughest assignments a journalist can have.
    When I first heard about the death of Jim Durant, two separate parts of me were dueling against each other – the human part of me and the part of me that is a journalist.
    As a human, I can understand the desire to have a situation such as Durant’s death be a private, family issue. We all want to grieve without reporters calling and people shoving microphones and cameras in our face.
    But, as a journalist, you have to approach these situations a different way. As much as it might hurt the human side of you, you have to forge ahead and construct a story that tells the public what it should know. In other words, you have a job to do.
    Why is it necessary to write a story on Jim Durant’s death? Because he was a well-known figure in town that will be missed. Because his death was tragic and should be honored. Because he was serving the community when the accident occurred.
    Although I have to look at issues such as Durant’s death with a journalist’s eyes, I can still give the story a human touch. If I have done that, I am happy.
    I cannot say that I knew Jim Durant, but I have learned a few facts about him through my work this week. He loved to serve his community and always performed tasks with a positive attitude. We all can learn from his example.