Last Saturday night, much of the OffBeat staff and myself attended the New Orleans Press Club’s annual Awards Show and Party. Every March local “press” (which also includes anyone who’s involved in public relations in the city) has the opportunity to submit entries in the hundred or so categories in which awards are presented.

For the past five years, this online publication, the Weekly Beat, has won first place for “Email News Update,” which makes us feel good because we actually do work very hard to make it quite different from our print magazine, with original, thoroughly researched entertainment content that we think our readers need to know about. It’s nice to be appreciated for hard work that’s a 52-times-a-year process.As you’ve read earlier on in the newsletter (if you are reading this from OffBeat.com, please take a moment to subscribe to the Weekly Beat here), OffBeat staff and freelancers also regularly win for our photography, most of which has been taken by the very talented Elsa Hahne, our staff photographer, layout guru and writer. Her partner–also a great photographer–is Golden Richard III, who won two awards this year from the Press Club. Congratulations to both and thanks for making the magazine a pleasure to read, visually as well as editorially.

One thing I’ve never understood about the Press Club Awards is their focus on public relations and publicity firms’ work. Are public relations people considered the working press? Typically they write releases and pitch to the press to get them to write stories about the clients they represent–in other words, they are potential news sources, but not press. Why are publicity producers and news sources eligible for awards from an organization which typically is comprised of journalism professionals?

I’m sure there’s a good answer to this question, but in my mind, it’s sort of a conflict of interest, in a way. There’s a really fine line sometimes in the perception between what’s really news and what’s just hype. Unless there are some standards that journalists and news organizations adhere to in producing their work–work that’s recognized by a peer group (supposedly) of professional journalists–who’s to say what’s news? Could it be that content that’s purported to be news is really just an ad for a client who’s story has been pitched by a PR person to a journalist?

I know I’m being really nitpicky and overly altruistic, but since I’ve been in this business, and a member of the press for 25 years now, I’ve seen a real devolution in the quality of what’s presented as “news.” There are so many news outlets now that they’ve become ravenous for content, any content, to fill pages or time on-air. And frankly, friends, a lot of what you read in supposed news outlets, and see online and on television isn’t news at all. It’s entertainment. Not hard news. Days of pure news are long gone, particularly now with the rise of internet news sources and blogs.

What you’re reading now is my blog–it’s my opinion of the world as I see it. But it is not news. It’s editorial; it’s my opinion; it’s meant more to tickle your brain cells and get you to think rather than to contain hard news. I said many times before that my column, Mojo Mouth, and my blog of the same name is not written with the same standards as a journalist should be required to meet (although I do check my sources and research what I write).  So perhaps there should be awards for “most entertaining blog” rather than treating it as a journalistic endeavor. Or maybe there should be a news blog vs. one for an entertainment or sports blog.

The Code of Ethics for the Society of Professional Journalists states:

“Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society’s principles and standards of practice.”

There’s such a blur nowadays about what’s real and true and what’s hype. Even in the case of entertainment journalism, what’s true and what has integrity in writing and knowledge of the writer? Or what is a recycled press release or payola from an advertiser?

There are businesses who have no respect for journalistic endeavor. These people refuse to support a news outlet because they may not like a review of their product. Believe me, it happens all the time, and it’s upsetting. To me, it’s the decline of journalism, which has already led to news illiteracy and consumption of vast quantities of junk versus news. What’s true and what’s bullshit for a buck? What “news” can be bought?

While I could consider myself to be a writer, I’m not a “professional journalist”; however, the main reason OffBeat was started to provide valuable information on the music scene and industry in New Orleans and Louisiana. We’ve always stood by journalistic standards, and we’ve worked with staff and freelancers who adhere to that policy in our editorial content. There have been so many, many times when a band, musician, restaurant or club has blasted us, or maybe even boycotted OffBeat for printing reviews that were fairly written but not “glowing.” There have been many times when we walked away when it was demanded that turn over our notes and questions ahead of time.  If I had a nickel for the number of times we’ve been told “if you write about us, we’ll buy an ad,” OffBeat would most certainly be a lot better off financially. Let’s put it this way: we’ll cover it if we think it’s editorially valid. If you want to purchase advertising (or not) that’s up to you.

That’s not to say that advertisers don’t ever get editorial coverage. They do. But only when it’s considered news and something that’s valuable for our readers’ interest and consistent with our mission.

The fact of the matter is that we really do try to tell the truth, to the best of our writer’s ability, on the subject matter we write about it.It’s a pity that most businesses now cannot tolerate a word of criticism from a legitimate source. So what’s happened, since almost all news content providers (with the exception of The Lens) are supported by advertising, is that in many cases, advertisers feel that they should be able to call the shots in what’s purported to be “news.” What’s really scary to me is that most readers or viewers are totally clueless that this is the case. That’s a legitimate worry. Many people don’t understand the difference between what’s true and what’s hype, especially when the hype is presented as news. Next time you see an “advertising section,” remember what you’re reading. It’s paid for. It’s not necessarily true. It’s paid for by an advertiser. And if you see a publication that gives awards or prints editorial only about the businesses that advertise, well sir, you have a problem with integrity. Beware, and digest your reading material–and awards–with a grain of salt.

P.S. OffBeat didn’t advertise in the Press Club Awards program…