I’ve always been aware that I have an accent when I speak. How could I not? English is not my first language. In fact, I didn’t learn English until I was 11 years old. During interviews and other assignments, some people point out that I have a “cute” accent. No one ever made me feel uncomfortable or self-conscious about it. That was until I took an advanced reporting class during Fall ’05. My professor was a former journalist who had won the Pulitzer Prize. I admire him because he has done all the things that I want to accomplish. The first day of class he singled me out and pointed out my accent to the class as a possible problem. I couldn’t help but feel bad about the comment. Ever since that day, every time I interview someone, every time I pick up the phone to call a source and every time I write a story, his words come to mind.
Today I feel different. Today I can finally say that I no longer am ashamed of that accent. I have come to embrace it.
It all started when I heard Getahn Ward speak to us. Ward is a Chips Quinn Scholar alum from 1994. He is a business reporter at The Tennessean in Nashville, where he has worked since 1998. After he welcomed the Scholars to the orientation, I was lucky enough to have him sit at our table. During our delicious dinner and dessert, he talked about his beloved country of origin, Liberia. He talked passionately about his experiences as a reporter there when he was only 15 years old. My eyes watered as he talked about what he saw during the country’s civil war, which took almost 14 years to end.
I decided to talk to him privately. He, too, wanted to talk. He wanted to talk about the newspaper where I will be working as an intern next Summer. I looked at him and told him that I wanted to ask him a personal question. He listened carefully. I gathered the courage to ask him if he had ever felt self-conscious or uncomfortable interviewing someone because of his accent. We shared experiences and talked about the issue for a couple of minutes, and he said something that I will never forget. He told me that the accent was part of him and that if the newspaper where I worked liked me then they would have to accept the accent because that is who I am.
-- Maria Ines Zamudio, Summer 2007 Scholar, Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader, and University of Illinois-Champaign
Saturday, January 27, 2007
I could be in her shoes
One day that might be me. I definitely wouldn't mind being in Wendy Isom's shoes. Her name was one of the first to catch my eye on the list of orientation speakers. She is a reporter at The Jackson Sun, where I will be working soon as an intern. I had seen her byline online and in print thanks to my editor, who signed me up for a subscription to the newspaper. Isom covers many feature stories, and features helped sparked my interest in journalism. She also helps prepare video for the newspaper's Web site. She seems to have benefited from being at a publication with a smaller circulation because she has freedom to nurture her journalism talent. I am confident that I will learn a great deal from her, and I feel privileged to have met her before my first day as the new girl in the newsroom. (I mean the "local information center.") You learn something new every day.
-- Ashley Anthony, Spring Scholar, The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun and University of Houston
-- Ashley Anthony, Spring Scholar, The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun and University of Houston
Appreciation for the First Amendment
I have millions of reasons why I love online multimedia. Designing's fun, infographics add explanatory power, interactive flash features are engaging, and the list goes on. But one advantage I didn't know until a couple hours ago is that there is more freedom in new media. Online service providers, Wikipedia, and blogs have absolute freedom of the press and are protected from libel lawsuits.
I wonder why new media has this special protection. Is it because it's hard to track the authors of online information? Is it because it's not feasible to ask people to monitor Wikipedia and blogs given their wide usage?
And the United States can't be the only country to have this law, right? Wouldn't all countries need to adopt this law for it to mean anything since anyone in the world can contribute to Wikipedia and blogs? Otherwise, Wikipedia and blogs can still face libel charges from other countries, right?
Today, we talked about how many people take the First Amendment for granted and many of my fellow Chipsters mentioned that the amendment was not discussed in their journalism classes. That's surprising to me because it was a major topic in my media law and ethics class when I studied abroad in Hong Kong. I remember feeling scared about pursuing journalism after learning about the defamation lawsuits in Asia. But then my professor emphasized how lucky U.S. journalists are as she explained the First Amendment--and it was the first time I learned about its effects on the press.
Today reminded me to be very, very appreciative of those rights.
Thank goodness that there's one less thing to worry about because I'm so nervous about 928579257 things as it is!
-- Cathy Tran, Spring Scholar,The Orange County (Calif.) Register, and University of California-Santa Barbara
...who hopes that more of this nervous energy turns into excitement!
Editor's note: Check out the First Amendment Center's Web site for more information about online and First Amendment protections.
I wonder why new media has this special protection. Is it because it's hard to track the authors of online information? Is it because it's not feasible to ask people to monitor Wikipedia and blogs given their wide usage?
And the United States can't be the only country to have this law, right? Wouldn't all countries need to adopt this law for it to mean anything since anyone in the world can contribute to Wikipedia and blogs? Otherwise, Wikipedia and blogs can still face libel charges from other countries, right?
Today, we talked about how many people take the First Amendment for granted and many of my fellow Chipsters mentioned that the amendment was not discussed in their journalism classes. That's surprising to me because it was a major topic in my media law and ethics class when I studied abroad in Hong Kong. I remember feeling scared about pursuing journalism after learning about the defamation lawsuits in Asia. But then my professor emphasized how lucky U.S. journalists are as she explained the First Amendment--and it was the first time I learned about its effects on the press.
Today reminded me to be very, very appreciative of those rights.
Thank goodness that there's one less thing to worry about because I'm so nervous about 928579257 things as it is!
-- Cathy Tran, Spring Scholar,The Orange County (Calif.) Register, and University of California-Santa Barbara
...who hopes that more of this nervous energy turns into excitement!
Editor's note: Check out the First Amendment Center's Web site for more information about online and First Amendment protections.
Shaping the future of news
There is something about being in Nashville with so many ambitious people and accomplished mentors that is as reassuring as it is nerve wracking. At the start of the day, we listened to a great deal of newsroom (or should I call it local information center) experiences and how the newsroom is moving to multimedia.
After walking away from David Leford's talk about online, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the instant gratification readers want from today's news organization. Part of me wondered: How difficult will it be to compete with someone walking around with a camera cell phone or a point-and-shoot camera? When the deadline becomes minute-to-minute and hour-to-hour, can anyone who is around do the assignment? After thinking about all these questions, I thought about how important it is to act on these fears rather than to be intimidated into inaction. I believe that as the next generation of journalists we will be a big part of shaping the future of news.
-- Deanna Dent, Spring Scholar, The Bulletin, Bend, Ore., and Arizona State University
After walking away from David Leford's talk about online, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the instant gratification readers want from today's news organization. Part of me wondered: How difficult will it be to compete with someone walking around with a camera cell phone or a point-and-shoot camera? When the deadline becomes minute-to-minute and hour-to-hour, can anyone who is around do the assignment? After thinking about all these questions, I thought about how important it is to act on these fears rather than to be intimidated into inaction. I believe that as the next generation of journalists we will be a big part of shaping the future of news.
-- Deanna Dent, Spring Scholar, The Bulletin, Bend, Ore., and Arizona State University
Gift of orientation
A second day is almost finish, and my fears about my internship are reducing every second. But at the same time, my anxiety is starting to grow.
There have been great ideas shared today. They will guide us in our careers. "Understand what you don’t know,” Mark Silverman (editor of The Tennessean in Nashville) said. “I have never been ready for a job,” he also said.
There is a strong message we should keep in mind: One of the gifts of journalism is the learning experience. There is no preparation or training for a story because every story is unique, every source has his own way of seeing the world, his own way of telling the story that makes the person even more interesting.
Learning about the First Amendment from John Seigenthaler was a precious moment. This is information we -- not only reporters but the public in general -- should know. It is sad that we hardly studied it school. To best use our five rights from the First Amendment, we need to also understand how the political system works in America.
Also today, learning about multimedia was a great experience. Multimedia is becoming crucial for online news. Some of us don’t have much background in multimedia, but it is necessary because it will open many doors for future jobs.
And even learning from everyone’s experiences is a gift that this orientation is providing.
I had a great day.
-- Gabriela Gonzalez, Spring Scholar, Ventura County (Calif.) Star and California State University-Northridge
There have been great ideas shared today. They will guide us in our careers. "Understand what you don’t know,” Mark Silverman (editor of The Tennessean in Nashville) said. “I have never been ready for a job,” he also said.
There is a strong message we should keep in mind: One of the gifts of journalism is the learning experience. There is no preparation or training for a story because every story is unique, every source has his own way of seeing the world, his own way of telling the story that makes the person even more interesting.
Learning about the First Amendment from John Seigenthaler was a precious moment. This is information we -- not only reporters but the public in general -- should know. It is sad that we hardly studied it school. To best use our five rights from the First Amendment, we need to also understand how the political system works in America.
Also today, learning about multimedia was a great experience. Multimedia is becoming crucial for online news. Some of us don’t have much background in multimedia, but it is necessary because it will open many doors for future jobs.
And even learning from everyone’s experiences is a gift that this orientation is providing.
I had a great day.
-- Gabriela Gonzalez, Spring Scholar, Ventura County (Calif.) Star and California State University-Northridge
Ready to make the jump
I had a flashback today: I'm hundreds of feet above the ground. Below I see canyons and a river that looks like a blue skinny snake. It was about three years ago and I was in New Zealand about to jump off the second-highest bungee jump in the world.
It is still scary just thinking about it, but it was definitely an adventure. Some people think I'm risking my life. But to me, it was a definite thrill.
I was reminded of that moment when Meg Downey (managing editor of The Tennessean in Nashville) said these words, "Jumping off a cliff is more an adventure than a risk."
This orientation is getting us ready for our futures. And there will be times when we are looking below, ready to jump.
Mark Silverman (editor of The Tennessean) said, "You're never ready for your next job." I probably am not, but I'm definitely excited and looking forward to it.
I've learned a lot today, especially the importance of multimedia. I do audio and still photos, but it seems as if video is a growing trend online. I am excited to learn how to edit video. It might be a challenge, but I look forward to it.
-- Diana Diroy, Spring Scholar, The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune and San Jose State University
It is still scary just thinking about it, but it was definitely an adventure. Some people think I'm risking my life. But to me, it was a definite thrill.
I was reminded of that moment when Meg Downey (managing editor of The Tennessean in Nashville) said these words, "Jumping off a cliff is more an adventure than a risk."
This orientation is getting us ready for our futures. And there will be times when we are looking below, ready to jump.
Mark Silverman (editor of The Tennessean) said, "You're never ready for your next job." I probably am not, but I'm definitely excited and looking forward to it.
I've learned a lot today, especially the importance of multimedia. I do audio and still photos, but it seems as if video is a growing trend online. I am excited to learn how to edit video. It might be a challenge, but I look forward to it.
-- Diana Diroy, Spring Scholar, The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune and San Jose State University
I see the future
Day Two in Nashville and, despite my late-night escapades at the devilishly fun Red Door Saloon,(which I highly recommend), it was not marked by a hangover but by an eye-opening presentation. Coming into this experience, I knew I wanted to ask a lot of questions. I planned to prod the minds of the seasoned journalists, hoping that just a sprinkle of their wisdom would rub off on this "green" reporter. The biggest question I had -- one I feared I'd be afraid to ask or unable to find an answer for -- was where journalism is headed and where I fit in. Today, David Ledford, executive editor of The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., showed me the future. It looks dynamic: Newsrooms transformed into "local information centers," plasma screens and video cameras, audio slide shows and interactive news being produced by the minute. Whoo! I will admit that as a bit of an old soul I had questioned how or why newspapers wanted to change. I refused to believe that my generation has no interest in newspapers with our incessant need for reality television, You Tube and all things Britney. I am excited to learn about all of this new technology and eager to see how far it will let me take some of my stories. I also have decided that David Ledford would be a great boss to work for. That brings me to another panel, but I have already written enough.
Until tomorrow.
-- Connie Llanos, reporter, Daily News, Los Angeles, and California State University-Northridge
Until tomorrow.
-- Connie Llanos, reporter, Daily News, Los Angeles, and California State University-Northridge
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
