Jane Stevens’ article on the benefits of “backpack journalism” is revealing, but I wonder if a major point is being overlooked. While it’s a good idea for any journalist to have skills in multimedia platforms and equipment, Stevens seems to be missing one major point: writing ability remains the key. In today’s YouTube and video-blog filled world, it seems like any idiot with a cellphone camera or hand-held device is becoming a photojournalist or amateur photographer. Indeed I agree that some of the most compelling news footage in recent years was first gathered by amateurs who happened to be witnesses to amazing events… Yet the importance of knowing how to write well, and how to properly frame a story and tell it in detail are still paramount, I believe. No amount of skill with a camera or multimedia applications will make up for a journalist’s strong writing ability, and the ability to properly analyze and synthesize a news story. In any case, I would much prefer the thoughtful and well organized thoroughness of a professional journalist’s carefully planned and in-depth story to the haberdashery of multimedia footage gathered quickly and “in the moment” by a “backpack” journalist. While they will always have their uses, backpack journalists should always be given second chair to more traditional journalists for everything except the most urgent and immediate of breaking news.