Most importantly, the journalist explains why these seemingly random facts are important enough to warrant precious moments of the reader's attention. Journalists are the people entrusted with defining reality. It used to be said that journalism is the first draft of history. Today, CNN is the first draft, newswires are the second draft, newspapers are the revision, and magazines are the synthesis. Cyberpostings are just noise.
Journalists have a heavy burden.
We are supposed to challenge the status quo, raise questions. What I hope to learn is how to do these things in a way that I can live with. Legends do it every week. Journalists would be insufferable in any other profession. A journalist is entrusted with the power to keep an eye on government, private industry, social trends, and the like.