A pro from CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corp) talks about broadcast journalism. Popjournalism - On the Record with... Wendy Mesley: "What advice do you have for young journalists?
I get really disappointed when journalism students come and say 'I'd like your job where I could read the news and where I could be an anchor. Can you tell me how to do that please?' (Mesley says in a ditzy voice.) I feel like slapping them. If that's what you want to do then don't come to the CBC, don't come to me. Go off and be an anchor at some place that has nothing to do with journalism. Most of the anchors have been reporters for decades and that's why they know what they're talking about when they're in the chair. I would tell an aspiring journalist if you're really interested in journalism to forget about being in the studio for at least 10, if not 20 years and get out there and enjoy the world. The most important thing, I think, is curiosity so that you're open to things that happen around you, that you're not coming in with preconceived ideas, that you will see a story that others won't, that you will have a reaction to somebody telling you the story that will be somewhat like the audiences, like whoa! You know, so you won't get caught up in your own thing, like here I am this big reporter person I better start using five syllable words and being full of myself and spending more time on my make-up. I think when you're starting out it's about passion for the craft and being straight with your audience. Just keep asking.
"
No comments:
Post a Comment