Anchor Me Down
Goodbye Content Team
What a weird feeling it is to be on the other side of the class. Being apart of the content team was very difficult and it took a lot of getting to used to. I felt lost, confused, and worried about my interviews all the time. I was constantly on the move and it was very time consuming. However, as much as I psyched myself out, I always completed what I needed to get done. It’s only been a few days since I have switch to the news team and it is a breath of fresh air. It’s completely different because I actually have free time now. I don’t have to worry about setting up an interview or concerned about my P2 card being too full. It’s honestly the best feeling, but I will definitely miss the rush of how it made me feel.
Being apart of the content team is a privilege because you are in charge of what goes onto the news that day. I didn’t realize this until I wasn’t going out to get my own content. I already see a little stress in the new content team’s faces when they talk about getting their stories. Yes, it can be stressful but as I look back on it, it was a lot of fun. I met so many people that I never thought I would meet and received so many business cards with job offerings. It’s unbelievable how far a friendly personality goes when you are out in public with a camera. The places you could go are unending and I can only imagine the impact I could make in the future. People either run the opposite direction or flock toward you. Word of advice to the content team is not to put off packages. It feels like a lot, but if you learn to manage your time in an effective manner you will no issue. Don’t be nervous because I was and it only took away from the confidence I could have had.
News Writing
Creating stories for the news and being on air is a totally different ballgame. Of course I still get a little stressed here and there because my skills as a writer is not as strong as I’d like it to be. However, finding what is going on in the news and doing my own research really helps me stay informed with the most recent news stories. It’s fun to break a story down question by question and find out what the public needs to know. After two newscasts of writing stories, I have noticed that keeping the sentences short and to the point are very important. Viewers will get lost in your words if you have too much to say, meaning they will lose interest of your station. Another important aspect to remember is the leading sentence. Too much information will cause the audience to get lost and lose focus of what the story is about.
Even though I don’t like writing stories, I feel as if I’ve already begun to learn so much more. Every time Jill looks at my work she gives me advice that I can put towards my next story. Every part of super semester has been a huge learning experience. I was not expecting to grow and learn so much from just a short time period. I’ve been very blessed to have the patient teachers that I do, who take the time to listen and hear what I have to say. They too are not afraid to give constructive criticism because it has only improved my work ethics.
