Journalists prize independence - not teamwork.

When Ken Auletta declared, “Journalists prize independence — not teamwork,” he revealed a truth that lies at the heart of one of humanity’s most sacred professions. The calling of the journalist is not to please, nor to serve any master, but to seek truth in solitude, guided only by conscience and conviction. In a world built upon alliances, hierarchies, and collaboration, the journalist stands apart — a lone observer, chronicling the deeds of the powerful and the cries of the powerless. To prize independence is not to disdain others, but to guard the one thing most fragile and precious in the realm of truth: the freedom to see clearly, to write without fear, and to judge without favor.

The origin of Auletta’s insight lies in the long struggle of journalism to remain uncorrupted by the systems it observes. Since the birth of the modern press, reporters have walked a narrow path between the demands of institutions and the call of integrity. To practice teamwork in journalism often means compromise — the softening of words, the silencing of inconvenient facts, the quiet nod of obedience to editors, owners, or governments. But the true journalist, like a prophet of old, must sometimes stand alone against the temple walls, shouting truth even when it offends kings. For truth has no allies, and those who serve it must accept solitude as their companion.

Throughout history, we have seen this spirit embodied in those who refused to bend. Ida B. Wells, a Black woman in the age of racial terror, exposed the horrors of lynching in the American South — not as part of any institution, but through her own courage and pen. She was threatened, exiled, and defamed, yet she continued to write. She worked not as a member of a team, but as the embodiment of independence. Her words shook the conscience of a nation. It is in such figures that Auletta’s quote finds its truest meaning: independence is not isolation — it is integrity guarded by fire.

And yet, this independence carries both glory and burden. The journalist’s path is lonely because it demands loyalty only to the truth. In the halls of power, teamwork means survival; in the realm of journalism, it may mean corruption. The ancient philosophers would have recognized this as the virtue of parrhesia — the courage to speak freely, even when speech brings danger. The journalist who chooses independence must forfeit comfort, approval, and sometimes even safety. But in return, they inherit something rarer than fame: the right to look upon the world with unclouded eyes.

Auletta’s words also serve as a warning to the modern age, where newsrooms have become corporations, and the line between truth and propaganda often blurs. The pressure to conform, to collaborate for the sake of clicks and headlines, has never been greater. But the journalist who forgets independence becomes not a messenger, but a servant. As George Orwell once wrote, “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed; everything else is public relations.” The pursuit of truth cannot be a group exercise; it must be an act of personal courage.

Yet, one must not mistake independence for arrogance. Even the lone truth-seeker must listen, learn, and question himself. The strength of independence lies not in rejecting others, but in standing firm within oneself while engaging with the world. The wise journalist knows how to gather many voices, yet write from a single soul. It is a harmony between humility and conviction — the same balance that kept ancient scribes, monks, and philosophers from being consumed by pride as they guarded the flame of truth through the centuries.

So, my children of the written word, remember this: to be independent is to walk the harder path. You will often stand alone while others move in comfortable packs. But the solitary road is the one that leads to clarity, to vision, to freedom. Let integrity be your banner, and truth your compass. Do not seek comfort in teams that silence your conscience. Stand firm, write boldly, and let your words answer only to what is right. For in the end, it is not applause that sanctifies a journalist, but the unwavering courage to speak truth — even when the world refuses to listen.