During my years spent at the university, we were taught to understand journalists on a certain level. A kind of wall was also built between us, the PR people, and them, the journalists. In classic PR, journalists are a public as any other and there’s an entire history of (open or not so open) conflict between the two professional categories. I, however, never believed in this theory, mainly because of the fact that I believe that there are good and bad people in every profession.

One of my best discoveries for one of my projects at the university was seeing “Good Night, and Good Luck.“, featuring the story of legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow in his case to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy. If you haven’t seen the movie or know about any of these names, you should go do that right now. Forget whatever you’re doing (including reading this article) and watch that movie.

If you’re still reading, here’s the rest of my story. As an European and a citizen of a post-communist country, the American journalism system appears almost always to be a bit more intricate than our own. I have studied the evolution of journalism, along that of public relations, and to me the two are eternally intertwined. The quality, structure and coherence and journalism and PR tend to depend on one another and I’ve always admired those people that have spearheaded great campaigns or enlightening investigations that have brought out the moral values which I uphold. One could say I’m an idealist and I wouldn’t mind or deny. In fact, I think that idealism is a good way to motivate oneself. And there’s one show that has touched me right in this soft spot.

The Newsroom

I’d probably call it the best TV show in the last decade, because before that I wasn’t too much of a TV show follower. Aaron Sorkin has created something so powerful, so full of live, of stories and teaching moments that I’d, for one, love to live in that show. I’m fascinated by the characters and by the realism captured in these fantastic episodes that uncover so much of the human nature.

It’s not just about journalism. It’s about trying to do things right, no matter the profession you’re in. It’s about working with a team of people you blindly trust. It’s about making mistakes and taking responsibility. It’s about the good fight, the fight for truth in a world that continually distorts anything and everything. It’s about those people that exist in real life that fuel our motivation to become better people, both at work and especially at home. It’s about using our skills for doing good.

This show is so educational that it should be taught in school as a case study and I know that some of my former university professors would love the idea. They were idealists too and they taught me to become one and never stop asking the most important question of all: “Why?”