The state of reporting in America is pathetic these days. I don't even want to speculate on what it'll be when bluejaybirdie graduates. She's what, 16? 17? That's about 5-6 years from now. Brace yourself for disappointment, blue. When I was your age (younger, even), I wanted to be a reporter, too (this was mid-90s, the height of the cable news era, but the rot was already really sinking in). Then we had an extended English sub who had worked for several big papers (The Advocate, the Times-Picayune, big papers in Louisiana, anyway--although . . . you're in east Texas, right? You may have heard of 'em), and we (me and a gal-pal) did a "What I Want To Be When I Grow Up" project and interviewed her and . . . damn. Just. Damn. And that was from her time working at papers in the 80s. I can't imagine what she thinks of things, nowadays.