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Years ago, I cut a cartoon out of a journalism magazine that depicted a line of reporters waiting to throw a dart at a board on which are tacked dozens of pieces of paper, each with a different issue or topic. The cartoon is now tucked away in some folder, and so I don’t have it in front of me. But the topics could be anything. If the cartoon were drawn today, the pieces of paper might read health care, presidential race, inflation, Caitlin Clark, artificial intelligence, etc.
The cartoon’s caption said something like: “Today I’m an expert in … .”
That illustration captures the essence of being a reporter, especially a reporter at a smaller news organization. Sure, in the largest or most niche newsrooms, a reporter might specialize in something especially narrow. Not just technology, for example, but the use of AI in health care research. But the vast majority of reporters—even those with beats—are constantly thrown into topics, issues, controversies and specialties they know little about.
Being a journalist requires diving into unfamiliar topics or issues, gathering as much information and analysis as quickly as possible, then massaging that information into a story that helps readers understand an issue better.
Sometimes that process really does happen in a few hours or a day. Sometimes, it happens over days or weeks. And in far less common cases, reporters will work on stories for months and years.
The need to dive into things you don’t know anything about and somehow swim out the other side with a coherent explanation for readers is the thing I have loved most about being a journalist for more than three decades. I know a little bit about a surprisingly wide array of topics and issues—and I know quite a bit more about a narrower list of topics and issues that I spent most of my time on (property taxes, for example—not exactly a favorite at parties).
I was thinking about that cartoon and the journalistic reality it represents this week as I attended Mickey’s Camp, an annual retreat for business and community leaders created in 2001 by former IBJ Media co-owner Mickey Maurer. Going to camp—there’s a women’s camp and a men’s camp—means choosing among a long list of activities that includes opportunities for adventure, education, creativity, relaxation and fitness.
This year, the list of activities included fly fishing, tequila tasting, history of film in Indiana, boxing, welding, art as an investment, pickleball, beekeeping, laser tag, grilling and so many more. I led sessions—as I have for several years—about politics at both the men’s and women’s camps.
I’m also able to attend a few sessions each year. We’re only a couple of days into the women’s camp as I write this, and I’ve attended sessions about personal finance, terrarium building and art as an investment. I’ve also heard from speakers that include Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines and Karrah Herring, the state’s chief equity, inclusion and opportunity officer.
I’ve learned a little more about several things, which is something I want to keep doing as both an editor and a person. I believe it makes me a more well-rounded person, a better conversationalist and generally more open-minded. If that sounds interesting to you, consider attending Mickey’s Camp in 2025 or just look for ways to open your mind to new ideas and activities. The options are all around you.•
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Weidenbener is editor of IBJ and assistant publisher of IBJ and Indiana Lawyer.
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