Note To Young Journalists:
BRING THE PASSION
By Jerry Goodman, News Director, WALB-TV News 10 located in Albany, Georgia,
A Journalist, Mentor And A Believer In Positive Vibes
Trust me when I say, NOTHING is more important to News Directors
and to your journalism career, than passion.
That’s because trying to do this job without passion is next to impossible.
What Is Passion For Journalism?
It’s constant curiosity about the people and things around you.
It’s wanting to tell stories that haven’t been told, wanting to find solutions, seeking the truth,
wanting to inform, a competitive fire to be the first and to be the best.
I have been recruiting journalists out of college for years
and I believe many colleges are not preparing journalism students the right way.
Many broadcast journalism schools are not teaching the value of getting information.
They’re focusing instruction on live studio presentation. Anchoring. Reading.
Not all. There are incredible journalism schools whose graduates go straight into medium markets.
But most journalism grads start in small markets like mine.
Many college student’s reels show them primarily anchoring on set.
Either their mentors are not teaching them right or their schools’ hands-on instruction is off.
A market that hires you right out of college wants to see your passion for storytelling.
Your passion for information-gathering Journalism!
Passion does not mean giving up work-life balance.
But it does mean understanding that the story may not conform to your schedule.
It requires flexibility. But here’s the thing: when you are passionate, you WANT the story.
You are willing to come in early or stay late to get it.
No one has to TELL you to be a passionate journalist – it’s a blessing and a curse.
You instinctively stay up late watching true crime documentaries or big news coverage on cable networks.
You can’t go to sleep when a hurricane is bearing down on your state.
You DEMAND to be the reporter on a big story.
If you have a boss who’s also passionate, hopefully they’ll give time off for extra work
and give perks that show appreciation.
Be honest with yourself and your potential boss in the interview process.
Journalism is hard without passion. But if you have it, you may never work a day in your life, because you’ll be doing what you enjoy!
Thank you Jerry for granting me permission to share your Excellent advice.
I believe Passion and Creativity are key ingredients to propel a lead story.