May 7, 2013

Reporter 101: There’s going for it, and then there’s going for it.

20130507-133215.jpg How much do you want it? No, really, how much do you really want it? And by it, I mean anything? Recently, I wanted to be in excellent shape like I once was when I used to box and take classes at the gym a few years back. So, I started running. But, I also started eating when I got home from work at night. It was a comfort. I’m new to D.C. and watching TV and eating snacks made me feel comfortable, at home. Guess what, I didn’t get in the shape I wanted. But, that’s not fair! I’m new here, I was hungry, I ran today, surely that counts for something, right? Nope. Nothing.

There is no easy way. You could argue that it doesn’t matter whether I weigh an additional 5 pounds more or even 10, after all, I’m pretty skinny, and an extra 5 or 10 wouldn’t make a difference to my career. But, I wanted to be in that same kind of shape I was in. So, I needed to stop the same old, same old, and do something difficult. I hired a trainer, and I work out with him twice a week. It costs me a lot of money. But, it works.

“No pain, no gain” isn’t just a saying that’s limited to the gym. It works in just about every category in your life. What would you like to do? If you are doing the ‘same old, same old’ to try and get there, and are not seeing results, then I’m here to tell you, you are wasting your time. Nothing worth having is easy. And you can’t think or wish something into existence. Nor can any excuse or justification make it all ok. You need to take tough steps that take you out of your comfort zone, or make you work harder than you ever have, or leave you out of breath.

A very sweet and talented former student of mine showed me her demo tape today. She wants to be a reporter. She took my class 2 years ago. A year ago, she showed me her demo reel. She just showed me her demo reel today, and it looks exactly the same. Now, let me be clear, this is a woman who says and has demonstrated at every turn that she wants very much to be a reporter. She is smart, and dedicated. But, this reel won’t get her a job. Not because she isn’t smart or doesn’t express herself well. It just doesn’t have the right mix of standups and stories. It’s not professional, has some fluff in it, and does her a disservice. She needs to dedicate money and time into developing a new reel, and because she hasn’t done so thus far, I’m thinking both of those – time and money – would be tough for her to devote at this stage in her life. But, without taking some steps that are tough, that take her out of her comfort zone or will leave her out of breath, she will not achieve her goal.

Part of this blog is to teach, but a lot of it is to inspire. No matter what your goal, whether you want to meet the love of your life, learn a language, lose weight, eat healthy, reach a career milestone, if you are doing the same old, same old, and are not constantly stretching yourself into new, uncharted territory, you’re not going to achieve it. As a good friend once said to me, “how’s THAT working for you?” If the answer is, “it’s not” – drop the ‘same old, same old,’ and kick it up a notch. No excuses.

That student could have two years reporting experience under her belt, rather than none. The time is now.

<a

Posted by on May 7, 2013 in News You Need To Know, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

1 Comment

April 22, 2013

Reporter 101: Everyone Has a Family. Even the Boston Bombing Suspects. Hear THEIR Untold Story.

Image

Tamarlan and Dzokhar Tsarnaev

After I posted on Facebook to promote my Friday night story about what the aunt, uncles, mom and dad of Dzokhar and Tamarlan Tsarnaev had to say to reporters, I got a lot of comments including, “who cares,” or “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” or “let them rot in hell.”

Everyone has a family. I’ve been doing stories for 10 years, interviewing moms of children that were killed in car accidents, wives of men killed on 9/11, dads whose children are suffering from debilitating and deadly diseases. They are the some of the most insightful and soulful interviews I’ve ever done.

But the family members of the Boston bombing suspects? If you listened to four of them, you might think wow, I’ve got this all wrong. Angels. That’s how aunt Maret Tsarnaeva described the men.

Here’s a direct quote, “Some reporter said to me this morning here, do you know last report when Tamerlan was circled he was wearing explosives. I said did you see him with your own two eyes, Tamerlan ID’d already that it was at Tamerlan, that he was standing there with explosives? I cannot take this kind of information lightly. What century are we living in? We need evidence.”

Well yes, we do need evidence. And as a reporter, I’ve got to use the word “allegedly,” until the surviving suspect is convicted and then I can call him, let’s say, the “Boston Bomber,” if I so choose. But, as you can see, that woman is in some serious denial.

Let’s hear from their father, Anzor Tsarnaev now. Here’s the soundbite I used in my piece Friday night, “Someone framed them. I don’t know who exactly did it. But someone did. And being cowards, they shot the boy dead. There are cops like this.”

I know what you’re thinking, because I was too. But remember, he was in Dagestan, Russia when he said this. I can assume he wasn’t watching CBS News’ around the clock coverage of this disgusting and tragic act of terror. Let’s assume he didn’t understand the gravity of the bombing. Or he’s just drinking from the same cup of denial Maret has.

Here’s a transcript of the rest of his interview. This took place AFTER Tamarlan was killed and BEFORE Dzokhar was taken into custody.

Q: WHEN YOU TRY CALLING THE YOUNGER ONE, THE PHONE IS OFF?

“All phones are switched off. I can’t get through to my brothers even. One of them is a great lawyer and I can’t get through to him. I want to get more information; those are my kids, you understand? I’m afraid for my other boy. Maybe he will be shot dead too. They will say, well, he had weapons. Kids with weapons? You don’t find weapons in a garbage dump. I have nothing more to say. It’s all because I’m afraid for my son and his life. They should arrest him maybe and bring him but alive. Alive. And justice should decide who’s right and who’s guilty.”

Q: YOU’VE BEEN LIVING THERE (THE U.S.) FOR A LONG TIME. HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE JUSTICE THERE?

“No never. But I just didn’t face it ever. So can I know about the justice there. I didn’t have any problems.”

Q: THE DAY BEFORE YOUSPOKE TO YOUR ELDER SON. WHAT DID HE TELL YOU?

“He said everything was okay. I even asked him how’s Dzhokar? Did you help him, look after him and make sure he’s studying well? So he would spend less time with friends and more time studying. You quit the university because you got married early. So let the kid at least graduate. Because in this life a person who doesn’t learn is working, working hard. That’s why I’m always telling them study.”

Q: DID YOU TALK ABOUT THIS EXPLOSION AND WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

“No. Not at all. Thanks Allah that they were not there and didn’t suffer. This is it. So what explosion? I honestly can’t imagine who could do this. Whoever did it is a bastard. I have nothing more to say.”

But, I think most telling is the interview with the men’s mother, Zubeidat. It is through her that we learn the FBI has apparently tracked Tamarlan, “He was controlled by FBI for 3-5 years, they knew what my son was doing, they knew what actions and what the sites on internet he was going. How could this happen? They were controlling every step of him and they’re telling today that it’s a terrorist act. “

This, of course, lead to all sorts of questions about what the FBI knew and didn’t know. Tamarlan was questioned in 2011, at the request of the Russian government and released. Apparently, they said they didn’t find any incriminating information. More on that in the days to come.

The family is the first place a reporter goes to find out information about someone. Here, we find a family in denial. There is one uncle who lives in Maryland who is on the other side, hebelieves the two are responsible for the bombing and is disgusted by them and the shame he says they’ve brought upon his family. But, the majority of family members are backing up – at least right now – the notion that the men are innocent, and were framed.

If you were to ask my parents about anything I’m involved in currently, they may know a few things, they could speak to my character, my work ethic, they could tell you who my boyfriend is, that my car is currently in the shop, and that I like to run. But, they have no idea about many aspects of my life, including this blog. It’s not that I’m hiding it from them, it just never came up. And don’t even call up my brother, he knows less. So, it’s not surprising that mom and dad Tsarnaev think their boys are angels. No parent can picture their children doing something like this. I don’t think so, anyway.

Yes, in many cases, the family interview provides the most compelling insight, but in this

Posted by on April 22, 2013 in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

1 Comment

April 21, 2013

Reporter 101: Don’t Just Stand There.

Image

Kirk Bloodsworth’s story is fascinating. Watch it below.

A wise coach once told me – if you’re not showing/demonstrating/teaching me something in your standup, then get out of the piece. I’m sure you’ve heard this concept before. But, sometimes we either forget, get lazy, run out of time, or what-have-you, and slip in a static standup, or worse yet, the “walk to nowhere.” (Don’t get me started) I issued a directive to myself last week, and roped in a friend to play along with me. I’ll explain. But, first…..

Kirk Bloodsworth is a fascinating man. He spent 9 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. He was the first death row inmate to be exonerated by DNA. Ever. So, how did not one, but two juries find him guilty of the murder of 9-year-old Dawn Hamilton of Maryland? From my research, it mostly came down to faulty eyewitness accounts. Here’s my story. Spot the standup. Does it show/demonstrate/teach? 

My former WVIT colleague Mike Springer is now a reporter at WCTV in Tallahassee, Florida. He’s a one man band, meaning he does it all: report, write, shoot, edit. He’s a pretty new reporter, just started in 2011, and as part of our challenge, he tried out active standups last week. It’s much tougher to do when you’re the one shooting them. Here’s a real, casual standup that takes the viewer into a new part of the story and delivers. 

So, reporters, please show me your active standups this upcoming week. Let’s keep pushing each other.

Posted by on April 21, 2013 in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Leave a Comment

March 16, 2013

Reporter 101: Dealing with Difficult People. (Yes, I may be talking about YOU)

As a reporter, I’ve dealt with a lot of difficult people. Most of them weren’t out on the streets or on a story. They were in the newsroom. C’mon, you must’ve heard about the stereotypes: reporters are narcissistic and producers are power-trippers. Let me be clear, they are just that, stereotypes, I’m not saying everyone is like that, or even the majority. It’s a small percentage, but hey, even a small number of those extreme personalities have the ability to make quite an impact. Add to that, the behavioral rules and norms of corporate America seldom exist in a newsroom, and you’ve got a recipe for a couple of blow-ups, a fair share of ego-tripping, and outbursts of all shapes and sizes.

Me? I’d prefer a mean person to an insecure one ten times out of ten. At least, I know what to expect. But insecurity breeds the kind of erratic behavior where you never know when a punch is coming, or a hug.

I’ve been fortunate to also work with some of the most secure, well-adjusted, talented, generous and inspirational people, willing to share their light. These people I will name. The others, I won’t. I know, not as juicy. Shoot me.

This list is by no means comprehensive, but if every newsroom had at least one of these people in it, they’d be blessed:

Kaity Tong. What a class act. Always friendly, and down to earth, despite the fact that she’s been a number one market anchor for decades. No one doesn’t like Kaity, from her co-workers to the viewers. She is beloved, and a true inspiration for her own brand of kindness, compassion and level of professionalism. Plus, she’s fun to go get drinks with.

Gerry Brooks. He’s one funny, witty guy. A hell of a fantastic writer, a credible anchor who thinks on his feet, generous with a compliment, and a direct leader in the newsroom. He’s a legend in Connecticut, and he makes everyone he works with shine.

Tom Appleby. A strict editor and News Director. Tom doesn’t let you get away with anything, and he doesn’t play favorites. The rules apply to everyone. And it’s the rules of writing and that standard of professionalism that I learned from Tom. He taught me how to structure a script, use proper grammar, and attribute. It’s those ethics and standards that I’ve brought with me throughout my career. He doesn’t sugarcoat, and that taught me to accept criticism and not take it personally. A valuable lesson.

Bruce Johnson. Bruce is a legendary reporter in Washington, DC. He taught me that you have to go for it. He leads by example, asking to cover important stories all over the globe. He has what some call chutzpah, and what I call balls. His tenacity inspired me to push despite adversity to cover stories that are close to my heart.

The other side? I’ve worked with some real winners. From the insecure reporter who started working at my station after me, who thought she should get more work than me and would tell anyone who’d listen. Actually, there’s two of those, come to think of it. The second reporter was stealthier though, digging dirt on my personal details to try and prove that financially she needed the work more than me, then dropping hints to the person who did the schedule that I was close to getting a new job. Oh yeah, I would confide that in YOU, right?

The photographer who refused to edit a story that we worked on together because he had other stories to work on more “worthy” of his time and skill. Yeah, well, eat my Emmy nomination.

Can’t forget the older, passive aggressive ninja of a reporter who writes emails criticizing your writing and story choice decisions, some disguised as jokes, some thinly veiled in a layer of politeness. Seriously? Go away.

Then there was the EP prone to ridiculous outbursts and lies. Like the time he didn’t like an on-camera tag i delivered, his anger exacerbated by an anchor’s inappropriate jokes after it on-air – and he flew into a rage and ran after me, slamming his fist into the wall, and cursing, in front of a guest that was to appear on our show in minutes. Good form. Quite a leader.

I could go on. But, I won’t. Just know, that if you get in this business, always seek out those who make you feel good about yourself as a person. Those that inspire.Those that share their light. Learn from them. And then, later on, share your light with others.

The petty bullshit – and there will always be petty bullshit – is found in places where insecurity abounds. Easy to write, but don’t let it get to you. Let it roll off your back. Because holding grudges or holding on to bitterness is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. (best quote ever) Remember, when someone is acting petty or pissy, it’s not you, it’s all about them.

I mentor a lot of young people in this business. I can’t tell you how many young reporters call me with problems dealing with difficult people.

This business is for those who are strong of mind and conviction. It takes a while to hone the skill of not letting people bother you. But, you can do it. Listen, I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and I’m still fascinated by human behavior – I find myself talking to friends sometimes about something ridiculous someone said or did. But, I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t poison my spirit and the spirit of others by giving bad behavior my time and attention. If you just literally can not take being challenged by dysfunctional people, there’s got to be another business you can go into. Although from what I understand, crazy people exist in every office. They’re just not as crazy as TV people. We manufacture our own special brand.

Posted by on March 16, 2013 in News You Need To Know, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Leave a Comment

March 4, 2013

Reporter 101: Just Do It. “The Passion and Balls Speech”

20130304-115010.jpgLately, I’ve been getting emails from people who are working a corporate day job, perhaps on Wall Street, and want to break in to the TV business as a Reporter.

To all you would-be career switchers, I say to you: ‘only do this, if you can’t do anything else.’ And by that, I mean, if you’re so passionate that you’ll only be happy if you‘re striving to tell a story, then by all means, go right ahead. Passion is why we are in this business. Logic is not. If we all relied on logic rather than passion, we’d never do this. And while you’re at it, have some balls. Because you’ll need them. To ask for work. To get the interview. To drive at 2 AM to work on New Year’s Eve. But if you’re looking for this career change to make sense, look elsewhere. Hence, the passion and balls speech.

It was September 11th, 2001, and I was walking to the Union Square subway station on University Place to go to work. This couple was walking next to me. I usually didn’t pay any mind to people walking near me, but this time I couldn’t help it. They pointed backwards toward downtown, their mouths dropped, and animated looks of horror transformed their faces. Compelled, I turned. I stood there, and watched the first plane hit the building that I had worked in only months before, turning the building I spent the 4 previous years calling home, amassing friends and acquaintances, into a giant fireball. I started to call my friend Linda, who worked on the 64th floor of Tower 2, but the call wouldn’t connect. I then called her husband who worked, like me, at 40 Wall Street, but we got disconnected as soon as he answered. I proceeded to go downtown and witness firsthand the most horrific act of terrorism New York City has ever known. It seems so insignificant to simply say lives changed that day. 2,996 of those lives met an untimely and no doubt gruesome end that should never have been. And, the ripple effects of that terrorist act are immeasurable. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was the day I realized that it simply was not enough to work at a so-so job and just exist, that it is crucially important to live a rewarding, fulfilling life filled with passion, sprinkled with altruism, that makes a difference, and to leave your mark on this world. We have no time to waste.

After a month, I went back tomy job on 40 Wall Street at American Express. The company was offering layoff packages to people who wanted to take them. I raised my hand: Ballsy move number one.

Somehow, some way, I got an unpaid internship at NY Times Television. I remember I had to actually pay for college credit to get in the door. Now, that’s passion over logic! I found my way onto a project called “Portraits of Grief,” an hour-long documentary adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times column of the same name. The ‘portraits’ told a 100-word story about the life of each victim who had died at Ground Zero. I did PA work, and worked with extremely talented producers, Nigel Noble and Sonia Slutski. One of the most rewarding parts of my job was to be the liaison between the grieving families we were going to interview and the producers. I had a connection to their grief, so I was uniquely qualified for the job. NYT hired me after my internship ran out. $10 an hour. I recall it was actually more lucrative for me to stay home and collect unemployment than come in and work a 40-hour week. But, I was passionate. My hard work paid off.

Tony Bourdain on Alt Side

At the end of that run, I started working on a new show about Kitchen Confidential author Anthony Bourdain, and moved up to Associate Producer. I was a bargain.

But, I had now caught the TV news bug.

At the same time, I was also taking classes at NYU. The dean of the school came in to talk to us about the future of TV news. He talked fondly of the one-man-band concept being used at NY1. I was electrified. The next day, I called him and asked if he knew someone I could call for an informational interview at NY1. He wasn’t too keen to give up a contact, especially since he hardly knew me. He explained the last time he trusted a student and put his reputation on the line, the student didn’t follow through. I assured him that therewas no way I wouldn’t follow through, that I had left a 6-figure job to work in TV for less than sitting on my butt pays, and if that didn’t prove passion, I didn’t know what did. I managed to get a name and number from him, and quickly set up an interview. I had to use chutzpah to talk about my sacrifice, disarm him with my honesty, gain his trust, and receive his contact. He didn’t regret it, and neither did I.

I learned that having blind faith that it’ll all work out, and having the ability to bob and weave and craft your story to influence people into giving you a chance, will take you a long way. But, I learned even more than that. Passion is a great influencer. It may not get you the job, but it will get you respect, and get you remembered. What happened next? Stay tuned for part deux.

20130304-115249.jpg

Posted by on March 4, 2013 in News You Need To Know, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Leave a Comment

December 18, 2012

Reporter 101: Memories of Covering Sandy Hook

debrainnewtownThere are few words that sum up how people in Newtown, Connecticut are feeling right now. The one I think best fits: Inconsolable.

WUSA9 sent a team to cover this unthinkable tragedy. Photographer Chris Mullen, Field Producer Cris Mullen, Satellite Operator Kurt Brooks and I spent several days on the ground, in the community, talking to witnesses, people who knew victims, and people from neighboring towns who volunteered to help.

Bob Campbell, of Newtown, attended Sandy Hook Elementary School when he was a kid, “How somebody could go and be so horrific and kill little kids. They had nothing to do with it.”

The image of Campbell barely keeping it together during our interview will never leave me. He had just come from St. Rose of Lima Church where he went with his family to pay his respects the day after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

The other interview forever etched in my mind is with Roy Horvath. He is the head teacher for a before- and after-school program at the elementary school, and knows several of the children. It is his gasp, “Oh my God, it can’t be!” when I showed him the newly published list of victims (at his insistence) that defined the stories we told while in Newtown. We quickly realized most everyone in the 27,000-strong town had a connection to this tragedy. Horvath had left 5 minutes before the shooting began. He said he wished he would have stayed so he could have done something.

I had worked for 6 years in Connecticut, and knew Newtown. I’d covered happy stories there, and don’t remember there ever being any big crime.  It’s the town that’s the example for small, quaint New England towns, with Christmas lights strung through the center of town, and little shops where everyone knows each other.

On Sunday, we received the breaking news from Lt. J. Paul Vance from the Connecticut State Police that someone had called St. Rose of Lima Church, the spiritual hub in town, during the noon mass, and threatened to shoot up the place. The church was evacuated. Anna Wood of Oxford, CT explained her thoughts the moment she heard the Monsignor, “I look up and I said, if anything has to happen, protect the kids.”

Kathy Hatzmann evacuated with her daughter Brianna. She says she didn’t hesitate, “I didn’t want to be another one of those grieving moms.”

Memorials started to sprout up everywhere, all paying tribute to the 20 littlest victims slaughtered in the most unimaginably violent way, and the 6 adults who dedicated themselves to shaping their little lives.

Field Producer Cris Mullen coordinated our coverage. He says what sticks with him most is “Teddy bears, one for each one of the children was killed, it’s hard. And I think the hardest part for me was seeing other people sad. “

Photographer Chris Mullen says it hit him in the gut as a dad of two small kids, “When I got home, I gave my kids a big hug.”

Satellite Operator Kurt Brooks said he wanted to be respectful to the town, and kept that top of mind as he set up our satellite truck, and live shots.

As for me, I think what struck me most is seeing the birth dates written on some of the memorials for the 20 littlest victims, many were born in 2006, and to me, it seems incredibly unfair that anyone born in ’06 should have to die.

These memories will never leave. We met so many people in their saddest hour, including former Sandy Hook bus driver Marsha Moskowitz, “Grace and Dylan and the rest of them are gonna watch over us.”

After the live trucks, after the funerals, after the holidays, we will never forget the huge hearts we met, and a simple town that became ground zero for pain.

Posted by on December 18, 2012 in News You Need To Know and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Leave a Comment

November 3, 2012

Reporter 101 – You Never Leave (Really.)

What a week it’s been. I went to my best friend’s wedding out on the north fork of Long Island on Sunday. I know what you’re thinking. Crazy, what with Hurricane Sandy on it’s way. I intended to go for an hour, and then start my 6-hour drive back to DC. I pretty much kept to that schedule, but as we all know, instead of getting back in time to cover the storm of the century for my new station, WUSA9 in DC, I ended up missing the calamity and destruction that struck my beloved former city, state and hometown.

For the record, Sandy wreaked havoc on DC/VA/MD, but NOTHING like the death and destruction and decimation that slammed parts of NY and NJ. Houses vanishing into bits. Children swept away by a 20-foot wall of water, never to be seen alive again. My heart breaks. Daily.

I wanted to help, to pitch in, to, at the very least, give a voice to the people who lived through a remarkable situation, just like I did after 9/11, but I couldn’t. I don’t work in NYC anymore. It’s frustrating. And that’s why I say, even when you think you’re out, youre not; you never leave.

I wanted to volunteer this weekend, but with the gas shortage, it didn’t seem wise to put one more person and one more car in that situation, so I stayed here. I will come to volunteer next Sunday. I already have my train ticket. I want to go to Staten Island, the home of my first TV job at SI76. If you haven’t heard of it, that’s because it doesn’t exist anymore. But it’s where I got my on-air start, along with Alicia Vitarelli, now with WPVI in Philly. We had some good times there, and covered some big stories, including the Staten Island Ferry Crash of 2003. I ate more pizza and Italian cookies during that year, then the 8 years since. It was just too good to pass up. But, I digress.

The only way I can help TODAY is to tell you about this. My friend, Tiffany Pelczar, painted these breathtaking tri-state area-themed watercolor paintings and is selling them on Etsy. 100% of the proceeds will help Sandy victims. They’re not expensive, and they’re a great way to show your NY/NJ pride, and give back –  if you, like me, are not near the area. Hey, it’s a great way to give back even if YOU ARE in the area. I bought one. She’s so talented.

You can buy one here. 

Posted by on November 3, 2012 in Uncategorized.

Leave a Comment

October 16, 2012

Reporter 101: Be Fearless and Move

You may or may not know, but I moved to Washington, DC. I’m now the lead reporter for the 11pm news for WUSA-TV, the local CBS affiliate. Yes, the reporter who made a segment out of NYC’s alternate-side-of-the-street-parking, who’s first reporting job was to traipse around the forgotten borough, is a New Yorker no more. You think that was easy? Hell, no. But nothing in this career is.

So, I find myself riding the Metro, and reading the blog, “Fishbowl DC” now. I’ve done some great, worthy stories, and I work with a fabulous, dedicated, intelligent, forward-thinking, thoughtful and nice crew of professionals. All this to say, just one word of advice for all you new reporters: move. Yes, move. Now. If I – the self-proclaimed Mayor of Greenwich Village who knows the difference between Greenwich Street and Greenwich Avenue, and the cheapest place to buy groceries (Western Beef. You’re welcome.) – can do it, so can you.

Funny thing, a long time ago, I met George Stephanopolous, and asked him for career advice, he told me, “Move.” It took me 9 years, but finally, George, I listened.

Now, I’m off to go cover the 2nd presidential debate. Ironically, it’s in NY.

Posted by on October 16, 2012 in News You Need To Know and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Leave a Comment

August 28, 2012

Reporter 101: The Business of the TV Business. Business News?

I am working at AOL this week. They launched a new video series under Daily Finance called the Market Minute. It’s a minute long video, giving you a preview of all the day’s business and market news right smack from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. I love this 60 second gulp of news. I want to marry it. Sign up for the updates, act smart around your friends, re-tweet and pass it on:

Watch today’s update now!

I used to work on Wall Street. That was right before 9/11. I always enjoyed it, but I always enjoyed telling stories more.  This week I get to do both. It’s nostalgic for me, because I always loved the NYSE floor. It’s so busy, chaotic, energetic, and so New York. I left Wall Street to pursue this career, and I’m happy I did, although…….. I didn’t really map out my path. Which is where the business of the business comes in.

Yes, murders are interesting, yes, big weather events will always be exciting, but don’t get so lost in the every day reporting, that you don’t think about where you are going next in your career.  It’s not easy to transition to Network if you are toiling in 100-level markets. And it’s not easy to get into business news without some business background. You may not like to hear this but, time is not on your side. You have to walk confidently in the direction of your dreams and not be afraid or doubt yourself  - fear is a killer. You’ll be dead in your tracks before you can say “That’s right, Bob, we are standing here….” See, no one tells you this. Unless you have a really good agent.

All this to say I love business news. But, it’s not my last act. Stay tuned…….(sorry for the ambiguous ending, really)

Posted by on August 28, 2012 in News You Need To Know, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , .

2 Comments

August 3, 2012

Reporter 101: Everyone Is Told They Suck Sometimes/Have A Goal

Wasn’t sure what to call this post, but in the end, I think you’ll see both headlines work.

As I’m writing this, I am facing a big career decision. I can’t talk much about it, but all I can do is think about it. And the question that keeps coming up is: Will this new path deliver me to my goal? I have to admit, over the years in this business, my goals have changed. I started out wanting to be a lifestyle reporter. Then, I did my first hard news story, and I was hooked. I redefined my goal soon after. I wanted to be a local reporter in NYC. Eight years after getting into this business, I accomplished that. And now, it’s time to reinvent. Again, I can’t say more than that, but this new direction, plus a conversation I had recently with a new reporter just starting out, got me to thinking: Does every reporter have a career goal? Does this goal define your decisions? Or do you just not think about it?

Reporters, please share. You can do so anonymously, if you like. I find that hearing about other’s trials, tribulations and successes in this business reassures us all. Everyone faces challenges. I share many of mine with the many 1st and 2nd year reporters I mentor. And if they can see that this number one market reporter was once told her voice sucked (it did) or that a white reporter will never make it to NYC (she did) then, it puts things into perspective. And yes, I was told those two things.

And while we’re at it, please subscribe to the blog, retweet, or repost. It lets me know you’re out there. Have a great weekend.

Posted by on August 3, 2012 in News You Need To Know and tagged , , , , , , , , , .

1 Comment