Holly Pablo

risk

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:37:19 -0800

The most striking aspect of today’s class discussion was the risk involved in being a journalist. From interviewing a bombastic/hostile subject to walking around a dangerous neighborhood to acquire a scene, it seems that many risks can be encountered when putting together a piece.

But what about the other risks, the kind that don’t seem so obvious? Risking your credibility by inadvertently making a politically charged assertion on a social media site; risking your reputation as a reporter if for reasons beyond your control the story you pitched suddenly falls apart; risking your moral integrity by associating your name with a story that doesn’t quite align itself with your values. These are all dilemmas that as students we don’t really think about. But being a student is temporary, and pretty soon, we’re going to be facing the strange new world of professionalism.

I like to think of myself as tactful and socially cognizant enough not to make such faux pas to damage my future credibility. But it’s so easy to be overly judgmental and assertive of my opinions—which are many, and steadfast for the most part.

I guess the adage “no risk, no gain” applies here. I feel that the best journalists take calculated risks, and I hope I learn to do the same.

futurejournalismproject: Survey Says! #whyJournalism A recent...

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:43:22 -0800

futurejournalismproject:

Survey Says! #whyJournalism

A recent question in our inbox asked, “What is it about journalism that you love? Why did you become a journalist?”

I began replying, looked at what I was writing, decided it was pretty dull and cast my net on Twitter where I asked #whyJournalism and linked to a simple Google form for people to answer.

Above is a collection of some of the answers we received. Some interesting replies not shown here include people motivated by specific events. For example, NBC’s Craig Kanalley points to 9/11 and his inspiration about how the press covered it. He posted about it on his Tumblr. Jay Corcoran, a documentary film maker, writes:

Inspired? The AIDS epidemic. I spent years watching my young talented friends die, shrouded in secrecy and shame, from complications from AIDS. To deal with my sadness, confusion and rage, I picked up a camera and documented the death of my dear friend, Tom McBride. The result became my first documentary film, Life and Death on the A-List, and I have never looked back.

What I love? To have people share their thoughts, ideas and intimate feelings with me on camera, and then shaping what they said or did and hopefully make something that is useful to others. There is nothing that fills me with more satisfaction and gratitude.

Many point to journalism as a calling or a mission. For example, Kenneth Rapoza writes:

I became a journalist before I became a journalist. Late 90s. Unemployed. Father unemployed. Mother, low skill worker. I had to leave college. I became angry and frustrated and heard a lot of people talking about how life just wasn’t fair. I became curious, asking why is that? I developed a sense of injustice and empathy for the underdog, because the underdog, I felt, was me. Fast forward to a college degree and adult life. You become a journalist because you are a sympathetic ear. You want to know what makes things tick. You’re intellectually curious. Journalism, done well, reminds me that I am part of this world.

Rayyan Sabet-Parry, a multimedia journalist at North Wales Weekly News, echoes this somewhat when he writes that journalism holds “up a mirror to the beautiful and the corrupt. It promotes transparency, openness and justice! It can change the world!”

Some seem to simply like the creative company and the opportunity to constantly learn each day.

Mashable’s Todd Olmstead writes, “Creative people inspire me and I’ve always wanted to be around them and learn from them as much as possible. Being a journalist allows me to do that and allows me to always be exploring.”

CBC Radio’s Jennifer Chen says, “I feel it’s a privilege to learn every day and be able to pass on that knowledge to others.”

And Lam Thuy Vo sent in this video about the world that opened up to her through her journalism career.

And then, there are and were the few who were inspired or pushed into journalism by their significant others. FJP contributor Daedalus Howell writes about his college girlfriend making him answer an ad for a reporter gig while UK tech journalist Mary Branscombe had a tech journalist boyfriend and thought if he could do it, she could too.

As for me and what would have been a lonely, singular — and by comparison quite boring — response:

I wanted to travel. I wanted to ask questions. I wanted to discover. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone.

And I wanted to somehow combine audio, video, images and text into compelling storytelling.

And what I love about journalism is that all of that’s possible.

If you’re interested in reading all responses, you can do so here.

Images: Selected answers (with some edited in length) to why people became journalists and what they love about it.

Select any to embiggen.

Photo

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:31:39 -0800

How clever!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:01:00 -0800

How clever!

“Carrier of the Economy” is praised in Poynter...

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:41:00 -0800

“Carrier of the Economy” is praised in Poynter courses for video journalism. I watched it as part of my online training for AAJA Voices this past summer. Until then, I never truly appreciated just how deliberate every shot is to the final package.

I had the pleasure of meeting the videographer, Brian Kaufman from the Detroit Free Press, at the AAJA National Convention. He took the time to help out in the newsroom, including coaching me through my first individual project with Final Cut Pro. How cool is that? It isn’t every day you meet a three time Emmy award-winning journalist, especially one so down to earth and friendly.

Check out Brian’s work at bkjournalism.

futurejournalismproject: People, Press and Trust Good takes...

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:58:15 -0800

futurejournalismproject:

People, Press and Trust

Good takes findings from a Pew Research Center survey and dresses them up.

Good doesn’t say, but I think the infographic comes from Views of the News Media: 1985-2011. —Michael

Image: Details from Good News/Bad News, via Good.

Hello, again!

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:49:00 -0800

I’m beginning to use this Tumblr to follow fellow student journos and professionals. There’s so much information on this website from people throughout the world— it would be a shame to only limit myself to gathering news on Twitter and Facebook.

What I love most is that there is a sense of freedom on Tumblr for personal expression. Just searching the tag #journalism opens a world of discussion where students, like myself, are writing of their struggles to become better in their craft. They wonder if they’re going in the right direction. They torment over whether they’re doing enough while in college. I often feel that way. My schedule is stretched more thinly than ever, yet I feel like I should be doing more.

This industry is huge, yet it is so small at the same time. It’s wonderful to know that I’m not alone in this fast-changing field. Journalism is not for the faint of heart, but it’s easier when you have a solid support system of people that you can relate with.

Hi!

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 02:38:00 -0700

I will now be using this web address (hollypablo.tumblr.com) for journalism-related interests. My personal tumblr is still active. I just changed the URL. If you’re following me, you should already know.