Cyber Monday was a big hit this year, raking in over $1 billion. My suspicions in earlier posts were correct, which highlights an interesting point upon reflection.
This was the first story I knew beforehand how it would turn out – as much as I don’t want to admit it. Prior research indicated Cyber Monday would be huge, which was then supported by the resulting data. It makes me wonder if my story was truly objective.
From what I’ve learned this semester, as a reporter you should approach a story without preconceptions. Otherwise, you could miss a crucial piece – especially when trying to hit a deadline.
Having completed this story, I’m left wondering how reporters covering specific subjects do their jobs. A reporter covering health, for example, must have biases after covering the system for so long. You can cut out obvious bias, but subconsciously there should be some effect. Journalists aren’t robots.
In my other stories, I knew nothing about the subjects being covered. This story was different, and it will stand out as this semester comes to a close. I have one story left, and I plan to lean more on my observations and interviews. Doing too much research beforehand felt harmful to the story process. Perhaps I’ll strike a better balance this time.
