Do you want to be a journalist? Hey, come on down. We’re always open. The profession has never been more ultra-available than it is now.
Technology has changed the information landscape so dramatically, any clear lines have essentially been eliminated. A precise definition of who can claim the journalism mantle has been effectively blurred to the point of incoherence.
We can thank the internet, the smartphone and other innovations for the sea change in the age of omnipresent information. There is no end to the growing catalogue of news sources.
The formula is simple: See something, record it; hear something, record it. Set up your own blog, create a website, then write/video and post something and, presto, it’s published. It couldn’t be easier.
Got a Substack, Facebook, Instagram, X (née Twitter) or TikTok account? Post an item and let it marinate. Then it’s out front for anyone to see and read or view. How about a podcast? Why not. Go for it. We can (hopefully) judge for ourselves whether it’s fair and accurate.
Is a so-called “influencer” a journalist? Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows? It’s the Wild West in cyberspace. And now we have artificial intelligence writing up a storm, robot journalists if you will.
There’s no guarantee that your correspondent even tapped out this epistle on his own. Just don’t tell the editor.
PRIVATE EDUCATION IS COSTLY: Tuition at private schools in San Mateo County can rival, or even exceed, the cost of attending a college or university. And the price tag, for the most part, continues to increase along with inflation.
It’s not a new scenario. But it’s persistent and certainly eye-popping. We take a gander at these mind-bending numbers each year.
In fairness, it’s important to point out that some financial assistance for students and their families who need it is typically available at all of these schools.
Here are the listed (according to their websites) 2025-26 tuition figures for the five most expensive private high schools in the county:
• Nueva, $66,960
• Crystal Springs Uplands, $66,450
• Menlo School, $64,718
Recommended for you
• Woodside Priory, $64,460
• Sacred Heart Prep, $57,000
CAREER BEGAN AT CAPUCHINO: The passing at age 85 of Neal Dahlen, who had amassed seven Super Bowl rings while working for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos, was noted recently.
Dahlen was part of a generation of young people who grew up in San Bruno and Millbrae and attended Capuchino High School in the 1950s.
The surge of suburban kids was so significant and came on so fast that the San Bruno school bulged at the seams with more than 2,000 teens enrolled at one point.
Dahlen went on to attend the College of San Mateo and San Jose State University, becoming a teacher in the process. He later taught and coached at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo and Mills High School in Millbrae.
He was hired by 49ers Coach Bill Walsh as a part-time administrative aide in 1979 as the franchise began a rebuild that resulted in NFL dominance in the 1980s.
REMEMBERING A LOCAL HERO: A celebration of the life of the late U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Stirm will be 1 p.m. March 21, at the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew, according to an email from his family.
A reception will follow the service. A Missing Man Formation flyover will be part of the day’s events. Col. Stirm, who grew up in San Mateo and attended local public schools, died, fittingly, on Nov. 11, 2025, (Veterans Day) at age 92.
He was a decorated pilot whose plane was shot down during the Vietnam War. He was captured by North Vietnamese forces and spent more than five years in prison.
He was tortured, starved and humiliated before being released on March 14, 1973.
AN AVALANCHE OF TV ADS: Is anyone else becoming exhausted by the nonstop cascade of TV ads supporting Tom Steyer? He is spending millions of his own cash to promote his Democrat candidacy for governor of California.
It would not be surprise if these incessant promos wound up turning voters off. It appears to be something of an eye-rolling video gamble.
But Steyer, a billionaire whose family owns a purportedly eco-friendly (a herd of flatulent cattle notwithstanding) 1,800-acre ranch in Pescadero, seemingly can well afford it, win or lose in the upcoming primary election.
(4) comments
The internet did "democratize" publishing, which is not the same as "journalism". I get your tongue in cheek cheeky statement. What it really did was democratize spreading opinions. But having an opinion and shouting it to the world is also not the same as having an audience of more than one. What's missing is factuality, and some version of that word is what to me defines actual journalism. Audience size alone is not what defines facts.
Great observations, bc. Unfortunately, the term “journalism” has taken the path of grade inflation and title inflation and as such, has devalued the taught journalism of old with accompanying guidelines and principles. Does anyone still know the 5W’s and 1H? When you have mainstream media, such as the AP, NYT, WP, and others masquerading their opinions and feelings, especially in the past decade, as journalism, it was only a matter of time before the term “journalism” lost its meaning, to the detriment of true journalists everywhere. As it is now, when many see AP, NYT, WP or other mainstream media articles, they ignore them because they’re filled with outright lies and fake news and we can count on objective journalism.
John forgot one very important group: former real journalists that have become PR people for the politicians, companies, or organizations they used to write about.
Famous examples around here are the Richmond Standard - a Chevron funded newspaper:
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/28/1239650727/chevron-fossil-fuel-richmond-standard-california-news
Or even closer was the PR paper: ClimateRWC in Redwood City.
A "local newspaper" writing non-critical journalist-slop written by real journalists and with real editors, but paid for by Singer Asoc. and various developers.
If a local newspaper is "just reporting the news" they are leaving out an important part of their responsibility. The "Fourth Estate" only works if they are more investigative, if they question the system, and if they have knowledge to be critical.
If they don't, if they aren't, that opens the door for "influencers" to step in and fill that void.
The old rule about "questioning authority" has changed. Mass media is the authority.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.