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In his recent article for @Commentary called "The Narrative Business," @NoahCRothman argues that the category referred to in the title, the category of “narrative,” is an inappropriate one for journalism. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Last week, a Pulitzer was awarded to Nikole Hannah-Jones for her contribution to “the 1619 Project.” According to the Project’s own description, the idea was to change “the national narrative.”
There’s that word again. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
There’s that word again. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Rothman’s concern is that this approach imports a standard that is fundamentally literary: the quest to tell a compelling story.
Journalism, by contrast, should be primarily concerned with laying out the facts. Even if the facts are unexciting. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Journalism, by contrast, should be primarily concerned with laying out the facts. Even if the facts are unexciting. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Journalism isn't about imposing a structure *on top of* the facts that bends and shapes them until they serve up a good story for us.
It’s about factually reconstructing what happened. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
It’s about factually reconstructing what happened. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Weaving a story out of the facts runs the risk of oversimplifying: requiring a hero and a villain, and making sure the characters align with these storytelling elements.
Superimposing the facts onto such a template could cause us to get reality wrong. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Superimposing the facts onto such a template could cause us to get reality wrong. https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Rothman ends with a lament.
Although journalism *should* be about judiciously and carefully laying out the facts, can a story be captivating enough for social media engagement if it lacks a narrative frame? https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
Although journalism *should* be about judiciously and carefully laying out the facts, can a story be captivating enough for social media engagement if it lacks a narrative frame? https://www.commentarymagazine.com/noah-rothman/the-narrative-business/
