Jurnalistul universal

by David Randall

Translated into more than a dozen languages, David Randall’s handbook is an invaluable guide to the “universals” of good journalistic practice for professional and trainee journalists worldwide. Randall emphasizes that good journalism isn’t just about universal objectives: it must also involve the acquisition of a range of skills that will empower journalists to operate in an industry where ownership, technology, and information are constantly changing. His acclaimed account challenges old attitudes and rejects cynical, sloppy journalism.
 
This updated, fifth edition of The Universal Journalist ensures its relevance to contemporary readers by addressing new tools for digital research, along with issues such as the problem of the replacement of trained journalists by social media and other untrained “citizen journalists” in the media.

Genres: Journalism, Nonfiction, Writing, British Literature, Reference

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

In his career he has collaborated with British newspapers, Africans, Americans and Russians. He is senior editor of the "Independent on Sunday" in London.

Reviews

[Mashael Alamri · Rating 5 out of 5]

أول فكرة خطرت في بالي بعد الانتهاء من كتاب “الصحفي العالمي”, هل أستطيع أن أصل إلى درجة الاحتراف الذي تحدث عنها دايفيد راندال في كتابه؟, ربما في أي بيئة عملية أخرى سيكون الجواب السهل, مع الصبر والممارسة والتعلم والالتزام بالمبادئ الصحفية ستصلين, لكن في بيئة مشابهة لما نعيش فيها الأمر أشبه بمهمة مستحيلة, أو شبه مستحيلة.
وهذا ليس نظرة متشائمة لكنها واقعية, في كل الأمثلة التي تحدث عنها كنت أقول في نفسي هذه جرأة كبيرة من الصحفي, وبعض القصص أقول ربما لو كانت هنا لتم منع نشر القصة أو حتى على أقل تقدير لم يكن الصحفي يستطيع أن يصل إلى هذا الكم الهائل من المعلومات.
الكتاب مفيد جدا للمبتدئين مثلي يضع النقاط على الحروف ويفسر شكل العمل الصحفي المحترف بغض النظر عن الموضوع أو المادة أصبحت أركز بطريقة كل صحيفة في تناول الموضوعات, تنبهت للكثير من المعلومات البسيطة المهمة في بناء المادة, وطريقة نسب المعلومات لأصحابها, وأكثر الطرق السخيفة التي يجب علي أن أبتعد عنها, وطرق البحث المحترف, ومحاولة الحصول على قصص صحفية مهمة أو مفيدة, وضحكت حينما ينتقد سلوك سبق وان وقعت به, علمني ردت الفعل التي يراها المحترفون في عملي حينما يصلهم بأخطائه.
ولن أتوقف عن التفكير بتناقض الحديث عن الإعلام في المجتمع الأمر الذي أجده مربك بالنسبة لي – كمبتدئة- من خلف كل الأحلام والآمال والطموحات التي أرسمها, أصطدم ليس فقط بمحدودية الحرية في الإعلام بل حتى على مستوى المتلقين هناك نظرة سلبية للإعلام في السعودية في خليط عجيب من التناقض مجتمع يصرح بأنه لا يثق بالإعلام أو على أقل تقدير المجتمع الافتراضي دائما ما يصرح أفراده بأن الإعلام السعودي غير مقنع وغير نزيه وموجّه, بينما لا يجد حديث يقتل به الوقت سوى أخذ كل ما يكتبه هذا الإعلان على محمل الجد لنقده بل ويحمله نتائج التأخر أو قلة الوعي في المجتمع, السؤال الذي يطرح نفسه كلما قرأت –حلطمة المتحلطمين- كيف أستطيع أن أعمل بمهنية وكل المتلقين في التجمعات الإلكترونية تتناقل الأخبار بنية مسبقة بأنها مجموعة أكاذيب, دعوني أقول أن الإعلام وأن كنت أجد عليه بعض الملاحظات , فهو ربما لا يحترم عقل القارئ بالشكل المطلوب حقيقة لكنه في المقابل يمثل وجهة نظر لا يجب أن تحجب لأن البعض لم تعجبه.
دأب البعض في الانتقاد بالتحدث عن المشكلة وكأن الفرد منا أو المواطن ليس له يد في بدايتها, فهو يلوم الإعلام على قلة الوعي في المجتمع والسؤال الذي يطرح نفسه, هل الإعلام الذي يتحدث عنه هو الوحيد المؤثر في صناعة أفكار الأفراد أليس المجتمع يقع تحت مؤثرات كثيرة دينية اجتماعية سياسية..إلخ.

وسط كل تلك الملاحظات والكم الهائل من الإحباط الذي يواجه ما أطمح إليه والسبب وراء اختياري لهذا المجال, يجعلني مع كل معلومة جديدة أتعلمها أو كتاب اقرأه, أتساءل هل يمكن أن أقدم ما يكتب هنا, وأنا أواجه مجتمع يخشى الدخول في تفاصيله لانتقاده بل ويرمي بكل محاولة إصلاح اجتماعية إلى أنها رغبة في الفساد والتغريب مثلما يحاول إعلام معين أن يسوق لها- وأنا هنا لا أنكر على أحد أن يسعى خلف أهدافه التي في نظره تستحق لكن كيف يُصدق إعلام عن إعلام؟.
و لا أتحدث على العموم لكن في الدائرة الأكثر شهره في الشبكات الاجتماعية, من الدائرة التي ينظر لها بأنها واعية ويؤول عليها الكثير, أجد حقيقة تنصل من المسؤولية ورمي بكل المساوئ على الإعلام والوزارات مع تجاهل كون كل تلك الأسباب التي ذكرت والتي تسبب التأخير هي من المجتمع وبسببه هي وصلت إلى ما وصلت إليه.
أعرف أن الحديث تشعب من الكتاب حتى محطات أخرى ونقاط أخرى لكنها تشكل أفكاري التي أسعى للتصالح معها حتى أستطيع العمل في المجال الذي أحب بكل حماس وشغف.
مرة أخرى الكتاب رائع ومنهج مهم وبداية مهمة للمبتدئين

[Elisa Pierandrei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lascia spazio ad una interpretazione critica del mestiere del giornalista e ne evidenzia gli aspetti positivi

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling this work a textbook seems too rigid. I found it an extremely well written, honest and thoughtful guide to the practice of journalism, with many references to good and bad examples. Several times I laughed aloud.

From war reporting to doorstepping celebrities or phoning grieving parents, you will find it all here; advice mingles with warnings as to what would get you fired, derided or demoted. Avoid euphemisms, inventions, hoaxes and cliches. A very good section is about handling your sources. Whether it's celeb gossip or the Watergate scandal, the journalist and editor have to keep control of the story and decide what to print, not the source. And ask yourself why the source is telling you this information. Do they stand to gain? Or for revenge? This may mean the information isn't accurate.

At the end we are reminded to read constantly, and read lots of nonfiction. This expands vocabulary, knowledge and fields of interest. Reading also helps to give the writer an authoritative and personal voice. Various books on journalism are recommended, the main thrust being to read books by journalists about their experiences.

I did notice some misspellings, such as a word with three eees in the middle; I imagine these crept in when editions were being updated as the added text was not checked.
This is the best book about journalism skills and experience that I have read to date. Enjoy.

I borrowed this book from the Dublin Business School library. This is an unbiased review.

[eman alkhattaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

قرأت "الصحفي العالمي" مع بدايات دخولي إلى بلاط صاحبة الجلالة، عام 2006، كنتُ حينها طالبة جامعية وفتاة شغفة بالعمل الإعلامي ولا تعرف ماهية أبجدياته. هذا الكتاب ساعدني على تخطي عدة مراحل صعبة، قدم لي خارطة طريق الصحافة، منحني تقنيات وأدوات كثيرة، صقلني، بكل ما تعنيه هذه الكلمة من معنى

بعد هذه السنوات من العمل في مهنة الصحافة، وبعد حصولي على ماجستير الإعلام، لا زلت أعود إلى ديفيد راندال لأنهل من تجاربه وأستفيد من الخطوات المنهجية السلسة التي يطرحها بخفة في كتابه العظيم هذا


كتاب جدير بالاقتناء، والعودة إليه من حين إلى أخر

[Roxana · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read this book I had higher expectations, because everyone of my teachers was talking about it like it was an amazing book. Unfortunately, I didn't find it that spectacular. It has some very good tips and really good guidelines. But that's about it.

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars.

This was an incredibly well put together informative book on journalism. I've heard that it's been used as textbooks in college classes, but it doesn't read like a textbook at all. Each chapter discusses a different aspect of reporting from "where do good stories come from," to "writing for newspapers" and "how to write a good intro," yet does so in a way where it doesn't feel like a pile of information has been thrown at you. The content is super accessible and easy to follow and you get a lot out of it. I often found myself wanted to read the next chapter. Extra texts to check out are at the end of the book as well. I highly recommend this to anyone who's interested in journalism.

[Антонія · Rating 5 out of 5]

Чудова книга не лише для журналістів, але для всіх, хто коли-небудь щось писав чи писатиме.
Автор у легкий, прямий і часто гумористичний спосіб розповідає про правила, помилки, цінні речі і дурниці у сфері журналістики.
Як писати, як подати, як поспішати, як не піддаватися тиску тих, для кого пишеш...
Насправді цінна річ, яка розвиває критичне мислення, вчить цінувати нелегку роботу відданих справі журналістів, а також помічати, коли щось написали для того, щоб задурити вам голову.

[Alex Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book out of what could only be described as a growing disillusionment with my education at journalism school. Or, to put it more bluntly, I feel like I've barely learned anything in the past year. Somehow in a whole semester there is never much room for depth or a more insightful examination of things in discussions. This book gave that depth to me. Or at the very least it gave me the reassertion that there is some semblance of depth in journalism -- that I haven't somehow haven't already hit a brick wall. And while I might not have fully agreed with some of the statements made in this book, it's a book I hope to come back to every few months, reconsidering those statements.

[Jeremy Blum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was required reading for my Journalism 101 course. It's stuffy, a little outdated and the author makes cracks at "bloggers" on the "world wide web" with the grumpiness of an old man sitting beside his typewriter looking down at all those dang kids with their new-fangled smart cell phones and their Facebook pages and whatnot, harrumph harrumphadoodle.

I jest though. Despite its old-school attitude towards digital media and lack of coverage on the current state of Internet-era journalism, this is still packed with facts on how to build a story, how to sub-edit, how to properly seek interview subjects and work with your sources. Good for newbies in the journo field, though I got way more outta this book on my second read (which was after a year working at an actual newspaper) than I did back in school.

[Ilona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent example of writing as well as presenting a topic.

I came to understand that the so called journalism that focuses on drama and boobs we are used to seeing today is a watered down version of a badass reporting that aimed to present facts and change the world. Who would've known.

While while detailed account of how's and why's, the book reads fresh even though some of its examples come from 1889. It's fun to read that the author sees American journalists as ones having more integrity than those from Great Britain. Times surely change.

All in all, a great read for those aspiring to write and those that have read a news story ever in their lives.

>>"It is as if the story is being translated into another language by an angry man with a limited vocabulary."
>>"News are things that actually happened, not what people say."

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

o mais próximo que já li de uma Bíblia para quem quer fazer algo em jornalismo ou apenas para quem quer passar um bom bocado a ler sobre escrita e notícias, cada dica prática vem acompanhada de histórias caricatas, gafes mas também exemplos de como fazer bem não é tão difícil assim.

[Annalisa Magnani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho letto questo libro (che assomiglia un po’ a un manuale) dietro consiglio del giornalista Francesco Costa, trovandolo ricco di spunti interessanti nonostante sia stato pubblicato quasi 30 anni fa.
Alcune osservazioni:

i) interessante (o forse sconvolgente) come la stampa italiana non segua la maggior parte dei consigli e delle buone pratiche illustrate da David Randall - per citare due dei tanti vizi della stampa italiana: il virgolettato e la pubblicità occulta!

ii) mi sono trovata molte volte a sorridere di fronte ad alcune osservazioni dell’autore relative alla tecnologia e all’ improbabile (al tempo) sorpasso della stampa online rispetto a quella di carta.

iii) più volte ho pensato a quanto sarebbe interessante avere un volume aggiornato ai nostri giorni, sia per sapere l’opinione dell’autore sui nuovi mezzi di informazione sia per vedere riportati alcuni esempi su come i giornali di tutto il mondo abbiano raccontato avvenimenti importanti degli ultimi 20/30 anni (come l’11 settembre, ad esempio).

Lettura consigliata a tutti gli appassionati di giornalismo e, perché no, anche a chi vorrebbe approcciarsi a questo mestiere.

[Veronica Kirin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every aspect of journalism is well-covered in Randall's series. Like many a good reporter, Randall brings humor and a bit of his own flavor to the instruction. There is a wealth of information, quotations of good (and bad) journalism, additional resources, and more within these pages. I believe any writer, whether or not they have their eyes set on a journalistic career, will find self-improvement within the guide.

[Juri Signorini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non è un manuale di giornalismo.
È piuttosto un libro che parla come essere un bravo giornalista. Molto orientato al giornalismo di cronaca, è utile a chiunque voglia scrivere bene un articolo su qualsiasi tematica.
A mio avviso, sarebbe utile che lo leggessero anche i blogger che vogliono comunicare efficacemente dei fatti.

[Elis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turbūt vienintelė ir geriausia knyga - vadovėlis visiems, kas domisi žurnalistika arba nori tapti žurnalistais. Aiškiai ir paprastai aprašyti pavyzdžiai ir patarimai. Vienintelis trūkumas - knyga labiau pritaikyta XX a. pabaigos MKP, bet patarimai vis tiek universalūs ir naudingi.

[Robertas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puiki knyga apie žiniasklaidą, žurnalisto misiją ir jos iššūkius šiandienos medijoje. Joje perskaičiau gausybę naudingų patarimų, kurie pravers ateities darbuose.

[DARSHIT SINGH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative for anyone entering the arduous field of journalism.

[Yousra · Rating 5 out of 5]

أريد قرائته و تحمليه كيف ؟

[مجد السباح · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good

[Nazarii Zanoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Доволі хороша книжка, котру нікому не зашкодить почитати. Доволі просто, з прикладами і доступно.

[Rym Aftis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read it

[Andreia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um livro obrigatório para todos os jornalistas ou aspirantes a jornalistas!

[Mohd. Rabie · Rating 5 out of 5]

من أهم الكتب المرجعية في مجاله... خلاصة خبرات دون ثرثرات التنظير

[orente · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it. I think it’s a great intro to journalism

[stellaq0420 · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first journalism book. Thank you. Great reading experience albeit a bit outdated.

[Anthony L. Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about old journalism, written by an old journalist

The Universal Journalist is clearly a must-read for any writer interested in the business of news reporting (mostly) and overall journalism (in general). It is a good read too, as Randall is clearly a skilled writer with many years under his belt. Any journalist wishing to get better at the craft should definitely pick it up.

That, if they can stand the discouraging lack of currency throughout the entire book.

The Universal Journalist may provide a comprehensive view of the industry, but journalism is not just on paper anymore and it is most definitely changing rapidly. Advocating for the need to be absolutely impartial in news, for instance, is a concept which applies to some fields, but is not encouraged in others (especially some trade magazines and most online publications).

I approached this book hoping to find "universal journalism" tips useful to be successful in any role in the digital age. I found, instead, a book clinging onto a lot of old or outdated concepts, such as the need for reviews to be descriptive and informative, rather than intimate yet balanced. Today, the journalist or publication heeding such advice is destined to drown in an ocean of irrelevance. Although there are some invaluable concepts to be pulled out from Randall's book.

One more thing to note is that Randall has clearly done his research for this book. This is both positive, as it validates the weight of his opinions, but also tedious at times, especially when he stuffs pages and pages with examples, stories and anecdotes which risk diluting the point he is trying to make, rather than making it stronger. After a while, you will get used to his pattern of explaining one thing and telling a journalism story about it - and you may just start skipping those digressions altogether. Some of them are fascinating, but the book might benefit from losing a good dozen of those here and there. Which will leave room for more considerations on online journalism, perhaps.

Regardless of all this, be wise and look at his advice with a degree of skepticism. There is much to learn from an experienced journalist like him - but do not fall into the trap of believing this will be the ultimate book about all sides of journalism.

[Viktoras Jasaitis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tai tikra klasika ir būtina knyga kiekvienam asmeniui, turinčiam kažką bendro su žurnalistika ar paprasčiausiu turinio kūrimu. Nors ši knyga yra išversta į lietuvių kalbą, bet ją atrasti gali būti sudėtinga. Nuoširdžiai patarsiu visiems siejantiems savo gyvenimą su žurnalistika, susirasti ją, ar jei sugebate, skaityti anglišką variantą. Kuo ši knyga nusipelno tiek daug pagyrų? Ogi daugybe patarimų, kaip pasiekti geresnių rezultatų žurnalistikoje. Šioje knygoje rasite patarimų nuo to, kaip susitarti su šaltiniais iki antraštės rašymo ir parinkimo. Reikia žinoma atkreipti dėmesį, kad knyga išleista dar tais laikais, kai internetas buvo kažkas paslaptingo ir moksliško (1996 m.), tad patarimų su jo naudojimu daug nerasite. Tačiau visas pagrindas, viskas, kas susiję su žurnalisto sumanumu, informacijos gavimu ir jos pateikimu – viską rasite čia.

[Erick Lima · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a beginner to the field of journalism this book was recommended to me by a colleague. It was in his words " A must read". I have come to agree with that opinion as this book has helped me tremendously. I have just finished the book and will be combing it over the next couple of weeks in order to take notes and continue to learn. I have nothing but good things to say and am completely dumbfounded by the amount of work that awaits me. Simply put, this book will help anyone to become a better reporter.

[Phil Nicholls · Rating 4 out of 5]

The focus of The Universal Journalist is on newspapers, so this content was less applicable to the kind of articles I write. However, the final third of the book does address the component pieces of a good article. There was also a section on asking questions, which is helpful advice for our interviews.

Thus, there was plenty of interest here. If I were still focused on writing articles, then this would be a useful book to read again, or at least the relevant parts. Much as I enjoyed this book, I probably need to search now for a similar title focused on editing and proofreading.

[Diana180]

The reporting advice on how to avoid statistical traps and stupid PR tricks is fairly useful. The writing advice is less applicable - many of the examples are drawn from a more flowery, less regulated age. And for a book about how journalists ought to be careful, it has an appalling number of typos, mostly in names. I will probably still suggest it to students over big padded doorstops covering the same material, just because it's not a big padded doorstop.