The following are true stories that I have either witnessed or have been relayed to me by fellow journalists:

“Google will one day charge per click.” - a newspaper editor on how he believes Google will one day charge people for each search, leading him to believe journalism will come full circle when people revolt and start reading newspapers once again. Needless to say he’ll be jobless in a few years.

“I don’t have broadband Internet, but it’s a good thing. It keeps me from spending too much time on the Web.” - a Web editor on why having dial-up Internet is a good thing for him. I bet that is one high-tech Web operation at his paper.

“I don’t want new media training and if I was on a new media training course i would resent it.” - a journalist who bristled at my question about whether or not newspapers should provide new media training. He’ll probably also resent in 10 years being laid off. It’s about the people, not about journalists. Give them the news they want in the formats they want. It is what it is.

“Personally, however, I’m all for the old school. I love, love, the item that is the newspaper. Let the photographers take the pictures, let the videographers make the slideshows. I’m a reporter. I write stories.” - a reporter on how he’ll always be a newspaper man. I have nothing witty to say about that. I’m just in shock.

” A few years ago the people in advertising said that some businesses don’t want their information put online.” - a mistaken journalist on why he doesn’t look online for places he needs to find or call. Every reputable business wants to be listed online. They need to be found to do business.

This is the same journalist who buys the newspaper just to get movie listings (one of many like this), despite the fact that they are free on sites likes movies.com. And he admitted that the newspaper listings are often inaccurate. You could use technology to do something cheaper, faster and better for you, or you could stick to old ways that often don’t work. I’m sure a forward thinking person like that has some great ideas for the future of journalism.

Is it any wonder that newspapers are struggling so much? The No. 1 thing holding back journalism is journalists. Many aren’t particularly good with technology, don’t have a wide skill set and, worst of all, are unwilling to learn new techniques.

I want my newspapers staffed by hungry journalists willing to do what it takes to tell each story in the best way possible. I want journalists willing to report the news in the formats that consumers want. I want journalists willing to learn new techniques as the years go on.