By: Lynn Walsh

Have a question about the industry? Maybe you would like advice on how to deal with a boss or colleague?

The Society of Professional Journalists and the Generation J Committee are pleased to announce the new SPJ Mentor Match-up program.

After months of discussion and brainstorming, the SPJ mentor program is back and better than ever! The program is for journalists who are members of SPJ and have graduated from college.

Early career journalists are encouraged to join the program and receive feedback from experienced journalists. The good news: the group is now operating through Facebook, making logging-in, communicating and interacting with mentors and other fellow mentees easier than ever.

How it works:

1. Those interested in joining the group as a mentee should fill out the inquiry form.

2. Once approved, you will be invited to join the Facebook group as a mentee.

3. Mentees are free to post questions they have and to answer questions posted by other mentees.

4. Mentors will respond to questions asked and also pose questions of their own to create discussion.

5. The group can also be used to facilitate get togethers with mentees and mentors in your area.

6. This is a private Facebook group. Postings are not viewable by non-members or the public Facebook community.

The Facebook group allows for Q&A style conversations, longer chats and even instant communication. We hope you will join us in gaining feedback and advice from industry pros while sharing your journalism knowledge at the same time!

Generation J would like to thank SPJ headquarters for all of their help during the process of re-vamping the program, specifically Heather Dunn.

Those interested in being a mentor to the group should have at least five years of professional journalism experience. Please contact Heather Dunn via e-mail if you are interested in serving as a mentor to the group.

Note: The above numbered list has been corrected to include the previously omitted number 4.

By: Jacqueline Ingles

When I think of diversity in TV news, I have a go-to scene from the show Family Guy and their Quahog newscast:

“Diane: And now we go to our Asian Correspondent in the field, Trisha Takanawa?

“Tricia Takanawa: Diane, I’m standing outside the Park Barrington Hotel because they don’t allow Asians inside.” ~Family Guy, Seth McFarlane~

Judging by Hollywood’s parody of journalists, newsrooms are clearly part of how the public feels media is missing the idea and the mark when it comes to diversity.

Stacking your newsroom with a rainbow of reporters and anchors of different races, ages and backgrounds is great. In fact, it is almost industry standard to see this now. But, this is not where diversity should stop. It should just be a beginning, a sort of jumping off point. The responsibility for what I am about to discuss falls on both management and the reporters and anchors.

Ask yourself how many times you turn on the television on MLK Day and see a black reporter covering a march or parade? When there is an immigration rally, are you use to seeing a station’s token Hispanic reporter going live from it? I will make note that sometimes story assignment is based on who is working that day. On weekends, prepare for a skeleton crew. So, if there is an immigration rally and your weekend reporter is Hispanic, then there you go.

My issue is more with week day staffing and story assignments. More news managers need to make conscious decisions to give reporters of different backgrounds opportunities to cover stories they are not familiar with. Sure, a Hispanic reporter might have more common ground with people at an immigration rally or have an easier time gaining access to information if they can speak Spanish, but sending a reporter of a different race could put a fresh perspective on the story. After all, every reporter sees a story differently and presents information differently, regardless of fairness and objectivity.

It is also a news managers fault if they believe a Hispanic reporter would know more about immigration or that an African American reporter would have more insight into MLK. I once heard an assignment editor turn to a black reporter and say, “I am going to have you cover this Black Pride parade because you would know more about the history of slaves.” What!?! The reporter turned to the assignment manager and said, “Actually, I wouldn’t. I grew up in England.” I wanted to give her a gold star for making a point to management NOT to stereotype. In the end, a young white male reporter covered the parade.

I would also love to see more newrooms expand their news teams to include reporters with disabilities. Think it cannot be done? It has been. ABC 7 Chicago hired Karen Myer more than 5 years ago. She is deaf. On her first day, lead nightside anchor Ron Magers leaned over on the desk, pulled out his hearing aid in front of viewers and said, “See, I can’t hear either.” Karen’s speech at times can be difficult to understand but she represents a lot of people in this world. I had the opportunity to listen to Karen speak to a small group of aspiring journalists back in college. She recounted an interview with Ray Charles. I will always remember her telling the students, I wasn’t nervous interviewing a celebrity, we were just trying to figure out how to communicate because I am deaf and Ray was blind. So, unlike other interviewees who can make out my words by reading by lips, he couldn’t. And, because Ray couldn’t see where the camera was, he was bobbing back and forth in the frame. Karen now reports on issues facing people with disabilities. This could range from people born with birth defects to an Iraq War veteran who is an amputee running for office.

Looking at the daunting task Karen faces each day in the field, I want to call on reporters to regain motivation. Too often I turn on television and see Caucasian after Caucasian interviewed in a story. Stories should include a diverse range of interviews. Isn’t that J-School’s day one lesson?

I strive to do this in the field. I take the challenge and three days out of the week I work in a bureau where the population is predominantly white folks. However, when I am doing a weather story or MOS, you will see me include a variety of people like a black truck driver, a Hispanic teenager, a white older woman and perhaps a middle aged man. Trust me when I say, if I can find diversity in a rural Texas town, you can find diversity in your town or big city. (In the video below, I really tried to be diverse. The package is about construction closing down a major highway in Austin. I took a chance, thought outside the box about who to interview.)

IH-35 closes for a second weekend: kxan.com

Sadly, in many Austin media stories, the market I am in now, you rarely see this diversity make it to air. I agree that sometimes in a time crunch you have to go at lightning speed and get what you can. But, do not use this as an excuse.

When I see stories that do not include people from different backgrounds, ages and races, I automatically think, INCOMPLETE COVERAGE and BIASED. Are you saying only people of this race and age can talk on this topic? Are you discounting opinions and feelings of other people and groups in your area? I guarantee if you are on a crime story in a neighborhood, a male interviewee would give you a completely different response than a single mother living alone where the crime occurred.

I am calling on all reporters to be inclusive and to stop the laziness. You are being paid to be representative in your work. Bottom line: Reporters do not need to run to a story and grab whatever interview is easiest. Stop, take a look around, watch, observe and think! Is there anyone there you didn’t expect to see? Who is most unique? Are your interviews providing viewers with a broad vision of what is going on? Who is your coverage leaving out?

Here are a few things to keep in mind and try:

• Need an expert? Find someone you have never spoken to and who is of a different ethnicity/race than yourself.
• When shooting b-roll, let that tell viewers who is there. Always zooming into the cute child at the ballpark? How about a tight shot of the 80-year-old couple that made it to the game?
• Ask yourself, what community have I never reported on in my city? Perhaps an enclave of immigrants from Haiti or groups that form out of a niche interest. Then, make calls to find out what is going on with that group or subculture?
• Don’t assume your interviewee knows about a hot button issue like immigration reform just because they are Hispanic or social security just because they qualify as senior citizens. Stereotyping, even on a small scale, can really hinder your reporting.

Jacqueline Ingles is a multi-platform reporter for KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas. She writes, shoots, edits, fronts her story and then provides a more in-depth story version on her station’s web site daily. She founded the blog “In Ingles Please” in early 2010. A native of Chicago, Jacqueline received a master’s in broadcast journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University-Chicago

By: Mike Brannen

It never ceases to amaze me how fast information can travel these days. Or how Twitter is now the official medium in which news must break through.

Case in point, this morning, March 23, Elizabeth Taylor died.

I produce my station’s morning show with two other producers from 4:30-7:00. With my Tweetdeck open, just a little after 6 am, the first tweet came in from Good Morning America reporting that Taylor had died.
This was clearly something worth getting into our show, but being at a CBS station, we couldn’t report what ABC is claiming.

So I’m sitting, waiting, hoping, that CBS, or at least CNN, or at least Reuters, or even the AP, will tweet the breaking news. Moments later, NBC tweeted the breaking news. Minutes pass, and CNN finally reports the news. This whole sequence might have been five minutes max, which in the grand scheme of things is minuscule. But during that rush, those five minutes were an eternity, especially when your news network is last to confirm the news.

As I discussed in my last article, Twitter is a game changer because news organizations tweet news before reporting it in its traditional medium. ABC tweeted the info before it ever made air in Seattle (where I work). Although we were behind in getting the Taylor news on TV, we weren’t drastically behind because we kept watch on Twitter feeds.

I reflect on how long it would have taken back in the 80’s or 90’s to get the confirming information and get it on air. The speed in which we gather information and present it to the public is stunning, and it is hard to fathom how it could possibly move any faster.

Mike Brannen is a morning newscast producer for KIRO7, the CBS affiliate in Seattle. He recently received a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and completed his thesis, Motivational Use of Twitter. He previously worked multiple positions at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri during the past four years.

By: Lynn Walsh

Unlike doctors and lawyers journalists tend not to be required to attend trainings and professional development courses — that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t though. I would argue that training should be a top priority as you continue your career in journalism.

Whether you are fresh out of college or have been in the field working for a few years, attending trainings can be beneficial to your career and help improve your coverage for viewers. The good news? Unlike the thousands you may have spent on a college degree, trainings are often free or offered at reduced prices through professional journalism organizations.

The even better news is searching and finding training opportunities in your area or online is just clicks away on JournalismTraining.org.

The website provides links to journalism training opportunities sponsored by colleges, non-profit news organizations and more. All you have to do is create an account and begin searching. It even has a notification system that will send you e-mails when trainings are available in your area.

The site was developed by the Society of Professional Journalists for the Council of National Journalism Organizations and was funded by a grant from the John S. and James Knight Foundation.

What are you waiting for? Log-on, sign-up and let the training begin!

By: Jacqueline Ingles

The other day, I had the opportunity to see how someone in a hiring position for on-air talent went through demo reels. Let me tell you, it was eye-opening.

I always thought it was a myth that news directors only watched demo reels for an average of 10 seconds. I was right. It is more like 7 seconds. This person zipped through tapes quicker than I could blink.

Here is what had on-air hopefuls hitting the road instead of landing an interview:

1) “Not enough energy” That is all this person kept saying tape after tape after tape. Bottom line, if you are not interested in what you are talking about and telling viewers, the person who is watching your reel can tell. If you are on the scene of a breaking fire ACT LIKE IT. Don’t just stand there, move around. It is understandable that sometimes you simply aren’t allowed to walk and talk because of dangers, but how about directing the cameraman by saying,” I am going to go ahead and have Scott zoom in on the roof. You can see where it caved in. Directly under this portion of the roof is where the twins were trapped.” Sure, you are not walking and talking, but boy are you showing something. Nothing screams amateur like standing in one spot looking into the camera. If you are live, you are live for a reason. Show the viewers why you are live or why you are doing a standup.

2) A Glamazon NOT a Grinder With newsrooms turning into multi-platform shops, you want to show that you are a grinder. This means you can churn out stories and not do it to seek on-air glory time. One applicant created an entire biography page and they had a picture posing with an award. The minute this person saw the picture he asked, “Who poses with an award? Really?” He couldn’t get past the picture The applicant’s demo was not even watched. Awards and recognition are great, but they shouldn’t be the shining star of your demo reel or homepage. Definitely highlight your success in a cover letter, resume, etc. I believe the word used to describe this applicant was “HAM” and he is still the butt of jokes.

3) Lack of Variety- Broadcast is a visual medium. The more action packed your tape is the better and the more enterprising stories you can tell the better. This one person’s tape was literally meeting after meeting after meeting. There simply was not enough to keep the person watching interested, let alone awake. The tape was a snoozefest. Show some breaking news, have a cool feature on there and toss in something enterprise. What I found was that not one of this applicant’s stories were different than the next. A broadcast story should be something can watch even when audio is on mute.

Also, think variety in terms of shots. Not everything needs to be shot on a tripod. Not everything has to be a sequence of wide, medium, tight. When you are out shooting, don’t be afraid to rest the camera on the ground or to balance it at an angle on your hands. During one shoot, I actually climbed on to the roof of my news truck along with my camera and tripod just to get more of an aerial view. Bottom line, if you are at a fire, show me flames, firefighters pulling hoses, etc. Do not get stagnant shots of a fire truck sitting and go tight on the fire department emblem on the door. In grad school this was called sign journalism and no one liked it.

There are some tricks to getting an interview too.

1) Drop your demo off in-person My former colleague decided to get her demo reel out of the pile and showed up at the station she wanted to work at in person. They did have jobs open and she kindly asked the secretary if the news director could come to the front office. It worked. He admired her bold move, sat down with her, watched her entire reel and then asked her to send more links. Four weeks later, she was the new reporter at that station. At 23, she was in market 40.

Don’t get me wrong, do not go booking tickets all over the nation to drop your demo off. If you are close to a few markets go ahead and take a drive. Or, if you are on vacation, pack a suit and go for it. It puts a face to a demo reel. You are no longer a link or a DVD, you are a human being. It also shows potential bosses you are aggressive and persistent. Both are attributes all reporters need to have to be successful.

This can also work if you have a friend at the station. They can act as a reference and put your tape in the right hands. Then, they can casually stop in and remind your news director to take a look or allow for another opportunity to bring your name up.

2) Save a Stamp/Think Outside the Box. Long gone are the days of mailing hefty VHS tapes to news directors. Upload your demo reel to YouTube and send everything via email. It is the quickest and easiest way to get your work out there. Also, you do not have to cold call, write endless letters or hope you hit the demo reel lottery. The way I landed my job in Austin: Facebook. That is right. I contacted my news director on Facebook. Crazy, right? A lot of my friends thought I was nuts and that I looked unprofessional. Well, I got a call three days later about their multi-platform job. I was also told they thought it was neat that I used social media for my job search. It has been 18 months and I am still here. The lesson: in broadcast, nothing is off limits. So, get on Facebook and tweet that ND a link to your demo.

3) Be Persistent, Very Persistent. I spent 9 months conversing with my second boss via email. I wanted in to WCTV in Tallahassee so bad because I knew it was a reputable shop. Every few weeks, I sent links, pitched my own story ideas, etc. I never gave up even though I had questioned being a pest. The news director would write back sometimes, other times he wouldn’t. Finally, after almost one year, he called and told me there was a job open and how he appreciated my dedication. He also made note of how many reporters would find out there were no jobs at his station and disappear into the night never to be heard or seen from again. The simple message is do not give up. Stay on someone’s radar. Again, email is free.

4) Find Common Ground. Googling a news director is not hard. You can easily find out where they worked in the past, where they went to school, etc. Anything that you have in common with that person will help you. When you go out on a job hunt, do yourself a favor and spend five minutes on google or Linkedin, etc. Also, research the station’s web site and watch the station’s newscast. Provide a little commentary on certain packages and voice your likes and dislikes. Maybe there is something you would have done different. Doing this will show how deep your interest runs in that shop and that you are a go-getter.

Also, there places that are simply destination markets to work in. Think Tampa, Phoenix, Miami and San Diego. Everyone and anyone wants to work in these markets and get the added bonus of fun in the sun. One news director in Florida told me when they had a reporter opening, 450 people applied just because it was Florida. You do not want to walk into an interview and not have good reason why you want to work in that market. Maybe you are an excellent crime reporter or strive to be and see opportunity to cover the international drug trade and corridor in Miami. Watch how the station covers crime and tell them how you would do it. Maybe you are fluent in Spanish and could get them the scoop on stories easier. Bottom line, find some way to make yourself memorable.

Jacqueline Ingles is a multi-platform reporter for KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas. She writes, shoots, edits, fronts her story and then provides a more in-depth story version on her station’s web site daily. She founded the blog “In Ingles Please” in early 2010. A native of Chicago, Jacqueline received a master’s in broadcast journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University-Chicago.

By: Lynn Walsh

Join us this in New York City for the 2011 College Media Advisers spring convention!

I, Lynn Walsh, will be representing the SPJ Generation J committee throughout the convention this week and early next week. Stop by and say hello and gain more information about how Generation J can help you as you transition from a college journalists to the real world.

Information about how to connect with us and participate in our programming will be available. I also will be critiquing resume with other volunteers throughout the conference. Be sure to sign-up early because space is limited.

You can contact me in NYC on Twitter @LWalsh or @SPJGenerationJ. Get in touch with me at any time to hear more about what SPJ and Generation J can do for you. I hope to see you there!

By: Mike Brannen

Once upon a time, newsrooms focused on providing content solely for the medium it operated in. Today, news outlets, regardless of the medium, must all compete online…especially through social media networks. People are increasingly monitoring their social networks through advanced mobile phones, shortening the amount of time it takes them to access information and communicate.

News organizations hoping to build a loyal following must have an active presence on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. The more information the news outlet sends, the greater the numbers of followers it can accumulate. However, delivering a steady stream of updates and new information presents a challenging dilemma.

I work as a morning TV producer, and our overnight crew will come across the occasional car crash or crime. We might be the only news outlet to know about it, and it might happen hours before we go on air. If we tweet the information we have, our audience (though probably asleep) will know what we know. Yet, now our competitors know about this breaking news, and have time to jump on the story and get it ready for air.

The advantage we would have had on air of being the only news team covering that story would be lost because we sent out a tweet. We no longer had the broadcast advantage.

This may be the sacrifice TV stations, and newsrooms, have to accept. The world now operates on a need-to-know now basis. People can’t wait for a newscast or for the paper to come out tomorrow. We have lost the ability to own a story on our own time.

Granted, there are exceptions, such as investigative pieces that aren’t under the gun to print or air ASAP. But for the most part, timely stories in our future will be told first through social media, then through older media forms.

Mike Brannen is a morning newscast producer for KIRO7, the CBS affiliate in Seattle. He recently received a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and completed his thesis, Motivational Use of Twitter. He previously worked multiple positions at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri during the past four years.