December 1, 2014

I Wish I Weren’t Already a Journalist So This Music Video Could Inspire Me to Become a Journalist


Here is a video of the 1985 Olivia-Newton John song “Queen of the Publication” from the album Soul Kiss. I don’t know how I have lived this long on this planet working in this profession without having seen it.

This is what the Newsroom could have been:

The lyrics are so good:

Something strange is going on
And you’re in the middle
I’ll do anything to solve the riddle
I’ve got a city editor
Put me on a deadline
If I don’t come through
I’m on the breadline

I’ll invade your privacy
Please don’t take it personally

I’m oh so sorry
But the reader’s got a right to know
You’re gonna help the circulation grow
When I get the story right
I’ll be queen of the publication

I’ve got a hidden camera
A shadow on your tail
And I’m tape recording every detail
All the walls have ears tonight
They’re listening in case you might
Talk in your sleep

I’m oh so sorry
But the reader’s got a right to know
You’re gonna help the circulation grow
When I get the story right
I’ll be queen of the publication

In every supermarket checkout line
They’ll be staring at your face
Make you a legend in your own time
Give you triple column space
When I get the story right
I’ll be queen
I’ll be queen
I’ll be queen

I’m oh so sorry
But the reader’s got a right to know
You’re gonna help the circulation grow
When I get the story right
I’ll be queen of the publication

Teach this in your J schools!

Anyway, good night and good luck.

(via Nick Hose)

WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

payment methods

WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate