Wow.
This past week has been among the most productive and eye-opening experiences of my life. Where do I begin?
First, the young reporters (and even those not quite so young) whom I have met are supremely talented. That's been said often, but it deserves to be said again and again. I learned almost as much from the other 10 people in my class and the half-dozen or so alumni as I did from our instructors. The Scholars each contributed something different that, in the end, enhanced our multimedia products. To name a few examples, Bettina Hansen taught me how to get organized in Final Cut, Marjon Rostami showed me how efficiently we can work and Nicole Santa Cruz reminded me how much fun being a reporter could be.
Even though our instructors, coaches and support staff were here to teach us, it never felt like anyone was trying to force knowledge through my head or, worse, treat me like the kid people think I am. They were brilliant, conversational and constructive. I was impressed by their ability to combine professionalism with true mentorship. It was also comforting to see Danese Kenon -- a successful woman of color and a multimedia reporter for The Indianapolis Star -- in all her fiery passion and incredible wisdom. She is truly an inspiring figure.
As I fly back to my newsroom Friday and start work Saturday, I carry with me a better sense of self and a renewed zeal to help my community.
If had to take away just one thing or one piece of advice from this week, it would be this: "Don't take life too seriously."
Trust me -- I won't.
Showing posts with label Lanz Bañes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lanz Bañes. Show all posts
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The sum of the parts
What resonates with me?
It's not any particular session, but the entire weekend so far. It's not any particular person, but everyone I've had the pleasure of meeting.
I know -- it's a vague and broad answer, but it's true. It's not the easy way out, either. I scratched my head and thought long and hard; I even took a lonely walk through the frigid air after lunch to clear my head. When I hear the old-timers talking about the First Amendment, it stirs something within me -- a sense of history, and, more than that, a sense of my place in it. When I see my fellow scholars defending the First Amendment, it fills me with hope. These people, this program -- they let me know, or more accurately, they demonstrate to me that I am not alone.
I am not alone in my passion and in my desire to be a good reporter. I am not alone in the problems that I face, which I especially saw in our small break-out sessions. I learned that many of my colleagues became reporters to tell the story of a group of people who would otherwise be ignored by the mainstream media. That's why I became a reporter, too.
So, really, it's unfair for me to single out any particular session, and I steadfastly refuse to do so.
It's not any particular session, but the entire weekend so far. It's not any particular person, but everyone I've had the pleasure of meeting.
I know -- it's a vague and broad answer, but it's true. It's not the easy way out, either. I scratched my head and thought long and hard; I even took a lonely walk through the frigid air after lunch to clear my head. When I hear the old-timers talking about the First Amendment, it stirs something within me -- a sense of history, and, more than that, a sense of my place in it. When I see my fellow scholars defending the First Amendment, it fills me with hope. These people, this program -- they let me know, or more accurately, they demonstrate to me that I am not alone.
I am not alone in my passion and in my desire to be a good reporter. I am not alone in the problems that I face, which I especially saw in our small break-out sessions. I learned that many of my colleagues became reporters to tell the story of a group of people who would otherwise be ignored by the mainstream media. That's why I became a reporter, too.
So, really, it's unfair for me to single out any particular session, and I steadfastly refuse to do so.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Stop the presses!
No, the First Amendment is not dead -- and neither am I.
This was affirmed as I listened to old-timers on Friday, surrounded by young, passionate reporters like myself. Before coming to Nashville I thought that I was on the verge of burning out as a reporter, that the harsh realities of newspaper economics and the daily grind had worn away the boundless enthusiasm I had for the principles enshrined in the First Amendment. I found myself lamenting what I had presumed was the slow but inevitable and painful demise of a career that had barely begun.
But the combination of the old and the new, of the storied struggles of our reporter forefathers (and mothers) and the modern hopes and fears of a younger generation, has allowed me to realize that I have not changed and my faith in the First Amendment has not wavered. I am a good reporter, and what I do does matter to my community. Journalism isn't dead; newspapers are alive and changing and the First Amendment shelters us all.
I am a good reporter. I repeat it not out of arrogance but as a simple reminder to myself. What's more, I am surrounded by other reporters who are just as or more talented than I. I must do my part and serve my community, not with mediocrity, but with the full wealth of who I am and what I have to offer.
So that is what I learned today -- something I knew but had forgotten in the lonely fog of the San Francisco Bay.
This was affirmed as I listened to old-timers on Friday, surrounded by young, passionate reporters like myself. Before coming to Nashville I thought that I was on the verge of burning out as a reporter, that the harsh realities of newspaper economics and the daily grind had worn away the boundless enthusiasm I had for the principles enshrined in the First Amendment. I found myself lamenting what I had presumed was the slow but inevitable and painful demise of a career that had barely begun.
But the combination of the old and the new, of the storied struggles of our reporter forefathers (and mothers) and the modern hopes and fears of a younger generation, has allowed me to realize that I have not changed and my faith in the First Amendment has not wavered. I am a good reporter, and what I do does matter to my community. Journalism isn't dead; newspapers are alive and changing and the First Amendment shelters us all.
I am a good reporter. I repeat it not out of arrogance but as a simple reminder to myself. What's more, I am surrounded by other reporters who are just as or more talented than I. I must do my part and serve my community, not with mediocrity, but with the full wealth of who I am and what I have to offer.
So that is what I learned today -- something I knew but had forgotten in the lonely fog of the San Francisco Bay.
Friday, January 23, 2009
‘Ready to learn’
I hope to enhance my knowledge of multimedia with what I learn from the classes in the next couple of days. I expect an intense but stimulating program that will make me rethink the way I gather and disseminate news. Hopefully, I will also make long-lasting and professional contacts during my stay in Nashville. As always, I am excited and ready to learn.
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