journalism and literature

They say that journalism is literature in a hurry. In our Literary History class, we have learned the role journalism and the printing press played in the development of Philippine literature. I know several reporters who are writers and several writers who are journalists.

Graduating with a degree in literature, I naturally looked for jobs that centered around the written word. I found being a reporter exciting and challenging, particularly with the beats I was assigned. I also make a distinction between being a reporter and being a journalist. I would not say that every reporter is a journalist. I consider myself as only having been a reporter.

Weaned on literature though, the requisite who, what, where, when, why and how felt stifling. I found my editor's constant reminders that the public have short attention spans and as such, we should cater to this perceived laziness, presumptious and offensive.