Six Word Slice of Life: Power of the Press

(For this month’s Slice of Life Challenge with Two Writing Teachers, I am aiming to do Six Word Slices most days, with some extended slices on other days.)

Context: I’ve visited Washington DC any number of times and each time, I think: Next time, I am going to visit the Newseum, the museum (not part of the Smithsonian) that centers on the news media. As a former journalist and always a news junkie, it would seem like a given. But until yesterday, I never had the opportunity, and boy, am I glad I took the opportunity to get in a visit. The exhibits in the Newseum remind you of the power of the freedom of the press — through all its many rocky terrains — as a bedrock of our country, no matter what our president seems to think and to say about it. The exhibits showed the power of story, in all of its forms — photos, writing, design, video, etc. I nearly cried in the 9/11 room. I was quiet in the Pulitzer Prize Photo exhibit. I gazed in wonder at the headlines of newspapers for the day from all corners of the world on display. And I laughed in the Late Night Talk Show room. The history of the news is as search for some semblance of truth to guide us all. We all know, too, that this is a work in progress.

Six Word Slice of Life Press Matters

Peace (and stories),
Kevin

13 Comments
  1. You know, I have never been there and have always wanted to go. I lived in when it was built, but it was only after I left that I came to understand how powerful it was. Give your reaction, I think I’ll bump this up to the top of my list on my next visit. Thanks for sharing.

  2. I was at a Forum with the topic of the state of journalism and the news with David Fahrenthold, Hugh Hewitt, and Joy Reid. It was pretty interesting to listen to their perspectives about the divide in providers and consumers of news. I’m not sure I have a six word poem about that.

    Complicated and divided.
    Need to listen.

  3. I must visit the Newseum next time in DC. I’ve made it my mission to emphasize the importance of free press since Trump took office. I’ve given three conference presentations on fake news this year and have a fourth coming up in May.

  4. You have convinced me (and my husband) that the next time we go to D.C. (it’s been a while) we must go to the Newseum. He, too, is a former journalist and a news junkie. I have come to appreciate our free press more and more this year (who hasn’t!) and am so grateful that it’s built into our notion of a free society. Love your idea of six-word entries this March. Nice work!

  5. Your post today has convinced me that my husband and I should definitely visit the Newseum on our next trip to DC. It’s been a while since we’ve been there. It reminds me of how grateful I am that freedom of the press is built into our notion of a free society…at least for now. I really like your idea of posting six-word entries this March…challenging but fun. Nice work!

  6. I have become a news junkie thanks to Trump. I listen to the NYT podcast, The Daily and get my news via the Apple News app on my phone (humans vet the stories to ensure the stories are true). I am amazed at what people will accept as news (often gained from Social Media) but gently share what I have learned the old-fashioned way, by reading the news. I am putting this museum on my list for our next trip to DC. Thank you!

  7. News,
    as we used to know it,
    will never be the same!

    A new place to visit the next time I’m in DC – thanks so much!

  8. As my husband and I watched Drunk History a few weeks ago, we were commenting on how powerful the news media was in helping to shape the response to the particular event they were discussing, in that the media simply allowed people access to what was going on. It was an interesting conversation and I’m sure visiting this museum would add a lot to it!

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