As is often the case, anticipated guests at the Boston University Sports Journalism Seminar Series have last minute commitments and despite being scheduled for months, I’m sometimes left scrambling for a replacement…So, when Chelsi McDonald of WHDH-TV called two days before her appearance and said she had to interview Charlie McAvoy on the date she was to appear, I went into producer mode…Who could I get to take her place?…Well, despite being the number 10 market in the country, Boston has a number of newcomers, many more than I was expecting to find….
I called Lucy Burdge of WEEI…I had heard her on the radio a number of times and liked her perspective…She said she’d love to come over but had a show to produce that night…I left a Facebook message on Ryan Hannable‘s page…Did the same for Ty Anderson….Hannable got back to me and said he was up for it…Booked…As it turns out Anderson was also available but I told him Hannable had already beaten him to it…We had a good laugh…Then, as luck would have it, just hours before “showtime”, McDonald emailed to say her assignment went well, was over and she could make it after all, if I still wanted/needed her…I did my best Johnny Olsen impression and said “Come on Down!”…And so, we went from having just one guest to three…Adam Pellerin of NESN filling out the group…
Off we went…
It’s been a while since the students in the class were “newcomers”, freshmen just arriving in Boston for school but fours later, as they get ready to hit the pavement, it’s important to have some basics to rely on…You’re going to be the new kid on the block and no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you’re the outsider, at first anyway… It doesn’t have to stay that way, however…
“Find a niche, find something that you’re better at than anyone else in the market”, Hannable told the students, “find a way to distinguish yourself”…McDonald added “Your first couple of markets, that’s where you’re able to take risks, invest yourself in the community”…
Be patient…Don’t expect to light the town on fire from the start…Do your research, learn the players, on and off the field…I still owe a huge debt of gratitude to Paul Leahy of the Malden Evening News, Paul Harbor of the Medford Mercury and Joe Hrubi of the Somerville Journal for taking this grad school rookie into their confidences when I started out…”Be a sponge” said Hannable…
Hannable worked countless jobs for free, McDonald switched to news to move up in the marketplace…Pellerin remembers his news days, “Versatility is important and (coincidentally) having that background helps expand your job search.”…
In smaller markets you might be the lone reporter…In other perhaps a handful…In Boston it’s dozens… While competition can be challenging, it can serve a positive purpose for you…”It’s important to learn from other members of the media”, stated Pellerin, “I always watch the way other people cover a story, you’re always in competition.”…”I have a DVR”, McDonald told the class, “I’m always watching how they do things.”…Hannable was quick to add, “It keeps you on your toes”…
Being a newcomer can be exhausting, exciting and discouraging all at the same time…But rewarding and satisfying at the same time…Look at it this way, it’s a start…The beginning of your dream…It might not be in your “comfort zone” as McDonald remembered her own experiences, but it has to start somewhere…
13 Comments
Taylor Ventrice posted on March 27, 2018 at 12:18 pm
Being a “newcomer” after graduating from college isn’t going to be something new for me. Throughout my entire life, I have been a “newcomer” in many different situations…in schools, sports teams, clubs, jobs, and internships, and that feeling of wanting to prove yourself doesn’t change.
I quickly related to Chelsi McDonald, who I knew previously from interning at Channel 7. I connected with her immediately because she was the only female newcomer, she has my “dream job,” and I admire her work ethic that I’ve seen while interning for WHDH. So, I was immediately intrigued in learning about her past and how she got to a top market like Boston.
As a junior in college, I really enjoyed this seminar because I was able to get an insight of what the job world is like in my industry right out of college. It was already known to me that I would have to start in a small market, possibly in Walla Walla Washington, but hearing essential tips from the newcomers was helpful. One tip they gave that stuck with me was learning to be flexible with your goals. Everyone has an end goal in their heads, but I’ve learned in this industry, you can’t say no to anything.
My number one take away from this seminar was that it’s okay to make errors and mistakes in your first couple of small markets. That is the time to find your voice and build your brand. Learning this was a huge relief to me (lol) because I am the type of person who quadruple checks text messages before I send them. I like to get my work as accurate as possible, and sometimes under deadline, there isn’t enough time to double check your work. Everyone is afraid of making mistakes, but the smaller markets will prepare you and train you not to make those errors, so you are ready for the bigger markets.
What also was put into perspective for me during this seminar was that this industry I am going to be a part of is not stable nor permanent. Journalists or reporters can be fired anytime, and there is always going to be new competition out there. After hearing that, some people would worry, but that just motivated me more to find my niche and find something I am really good at that makes me stand out.
This seminar was one of my favorites because it made me even more excited to graduate and become a part of an industry where I have so much opportunity.
Ashleigh Shanley posted on March 27, 2018 at 12:48 pm
While I missed this past seminar due to some “newcomer” germs that made their way into my system, this topic could not come at a better time for me. I recently accepted a position with Harvard University’s Athletic Communications Department. And, while I’ll be one of three newcomers in this group, it’s safe to say I have a lot to learn about the environment I will be working in.
Yes, I know plenty about the basic news that goes on in college sports, but in regards to Harvard Athletics I will admit, I don’t know much. However, from the various advice I have been given throughout my career and this seminar, I’ve already found ways to study the school and get a better understanding of where I’ll be working.
So, where did I start? From some advice I received earlier in this seminar, I began on Twitter. I added my new boss, along with Harvard Athletics, and I’ve followed the content the Harvard communications team has recently released. This has helped me to better understand the way they set up and produce games, along with the type of stories they tell.
I know many aspects of my job will be learning and absorbing along the way, but as a newcomer to this team, I also know that preparation is my greatest armor. So, by understanding the way the Harvard Athletics Communications Department works before I even get there, it just gives me one less thing to worry about learning once I get started. Over the course of the next year, I know I will become more familiar with the Harvard athletes, coaches and teams I am covering, as I will be using them as resources for stories and to build content for the university. And while being the new kid on the block can be a bit nerve wracking before I get to know my sources and subjects well, I am incredibly excited to build connections within the athletic department which I can hopefully use at some point in the future. While relationships are a vital starting point for any newcomer, I also know I will need to quickly and efficiently absorb everything I can about a new production system, new production equipment and even a new style of production, so I can actually produce something with the stories I find.
Everything I have learned over the course of internships, my undergraduate career, and my graduate career will give me the basic knowledge and confidence I need to start off strong at Harvard. Yet, it is inevitably that as a newcomer I will be the lowest on the totem pole. But we all have to start somewhere! Again, I truly believe the most important part of starting at a new place, is establishing and building new relationships – and using old ones to make connections. Whether it is with the sports information directors, my fellow video producers, coaches, or even athletes, these relationships can only help me as a newcomer in this business. Each individual source I stow away for the future can potentially help me in some way, and I’ve seen the importance of maintaining relationships from a story I did this past year about a Harvard athlete.
In the fall, I was a part of Shira Springer’s sports storytelling class. Throughout the semester, we were asked to work on a long narrative piece about whatever we wanted. As ambitious as ever, I wanted to see if I could produce a piece on the first transgender Division I athlete to compete in the history of the NCAA – Schuyler Bailar. Bailar is a swimmer on the men’s team at Harvard, and I believed I could find a way to tell the story about his transition from female to male, and explain why he decided to do so when he did. Knowing the swimming world is small, I decided to use a few sources I had in my back pocket from the Duke swim team. After reaching out to former teammates, I was able to get a contact for Bailar, and eventually got the story.
This event in particular showed me the importance of using any potential sources you have, but also maintaining good relationships with as many people as possible because you never know when you are going to need to ask someone to help you with a contact or on a story. While my interview and camera skills, or storytelling and reporting techniques will mature and develop throughout my career, I believe the practice of building sources and maintaining relationships is something that is so critical from the start of my sports journalism career. But, I am excited to start building my phone book, and continually adding tips and tricks to my memory bank as I begin my journey in the sports media world this fall.
Elizabeth Pentikis posted on March 27, 2018 at 5:35 pm
https://goo.gl/8bgCAX
Matthew Doherty posted on March 27, 2018 at 10:42 pm
I’ve definitely struggled adapting as the “newcomer” in situations throughout my life. Some examples have been high school, college, and camps. It takes me a while to become comfortable in a place and feel like I belong.
So when I get my first job, I think being the “newcomer” is the biggest challenge I will face. Think about it, if I get hired by a newspaper, I will have the confidence and ability to do the work. But I think the biggest obstacle of the first job is overcoming the “newcomer” fear.
I learned at Thursday’s seminar from Adam Pellerin, Chelsi McDonald, and Ryan Hannable about how to handle being the newcomer. I think the most important takeaway is that hard work and a relentless work ethic will help me as a newcomer.
It’s important to pay your dues and be patient. I think I do a good job of that at school right now. I cover three sports at WTBU Sports for free and broadcast many games for free. I interned in the Cape Cod League this past summer with no pay. I do it because I love it, so I don’t think that will be a problem at my first job when I’m at the bottom of the food chain and not making any money.
But Hannable made a good point saying, “Find a niche, find something that you’re better at than anyone else in the market and find a way to distinguish yourself.” Now this will be something that will be critical at my first job. It’s so tough to distinguish yourself at a young age, especially in an intimating and competitive environment. Once you master that though, you are in good shape.
I also believe that work ethic will help separate you at the first job. Co-workers will admire and respect a strong work ethic. It helps make connections and relationships. Also it will make me a lot more comfortable in the work place.
Finally, constantly working at my craft will help me overcome the “newcomer” fear. I really enjoyed what Chelsi and Adam were saying about how they watch their competition on TV. This is something I do all the time. I love to read other writers, especially those who cover the same sports as me. I think it helps me learn and grow as a writer and broadcaster. Especially as a writer, I think it is so crucial.
Being a “newcomer” won’t be easy but with hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and time, I know from this seminar that the “newcomer” tag and fear will go away soon enough.
Jane Rose posted on March 27, 2018 at 11:30 pm
Even though the focus this week was on newcomers, for me, this week’s seminar gave me differing views on opinions I have previously received. So many of the tips that Chelsi McDonald, Ryan Hannable, and Adam Pellerin gave were completely different than what I had heard before, and I think seeing that people find success in different ways should give all of us some relief.
Just this summer at my internship I realized how much I enjoyed reporting on news, after years of believing I would only ever be interested in sports. Being both stubborn and goal-oriented, it was hard to make that change in my mind. When I asked around the newsroom, the consensus was that I needed to choose and I needed to choose now. Multiple people told me a transition from news to sports or vice versa would be impossible once I make it to a market. This choice is something I think about nearly every day when I think bout the upcoming months, so hearing both Chelsi and Adam say that the transition is possible made me actually sigh with relief. Realizing that a news background is not detrimental, but actually helpful, makes me a bit less worried. Seeing two journalists who have transitioned from news is helping with my inability to choose between the two, and Chelsi’s tips after the seminar about making two reels was something I had never considered even though it is such a simple solution for anyone grappling with the choice
Another thing that was a new outlook was being invested in small markets. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve always looked at my first two years in the middle of nowhere as a means to an end. Something that everyone said I just have to get through. But Adam made the point that employers can see through that and no one wants someone who is clearly not interested in the place, it’s insulting. I know I’m personally offended when people use my hometown as a stepping stone and it’s not even a small market. It’s not going to be home, but we gotta make the best of it and give it the respect that its residents do.
As for the tip of watching yourself, it is something I have heard before and definitely a practice that has already helped me. At first, I thought how many things could need to be corrected by professionals, but even the veterans do this. Just by really nitpicking my appearances on BUTV’s Offsides, I was able to correct this weird eye twitch thing I do when I’m trying to stress a point. I’ve also had to learn to have my expressions match the story a bit better, for example, I have smiled way too big when reporting on deaths or head trauma. I, along with my mother, will definitely be recording every time I report something.
At some point, everyone is a newcomer, and I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t nervous about it, but this seminar gave me a bit more ease when I think about the next 53 days (oi)
Nicole Ericson posted on March 28, 2018 at 11:34 am
Being a newcomer is not a ‘new’ feeling for me. There are a lot of things that everyone is new to; school, sports team, club etc. Every summer I have had various internships where I have been the newby. But all of these experiences have helped me learn how to fit in and how to adapt to a new environment quickly. Therefore, as a senior in college, I am ready to be the newcomer again. Through my education and experiences I have been preparing for changes all my life. So, going to the next chapter will not be any different.
One of the biggest takeaways I had from this seminar was that it is okay to make mistakes in the smaller markets. They don’t receive as much national attention as some of the big players. But this is the time to perfect your craft. You need to build your voice and your brand. These smaller markets, where most reporters and anchors start, is the place to do that. When you are in school, all you can do is try your best to watch anchors in the morning or listen to the radio, but when you get into the real world this becomes a daily habit. Everyone should always be trying to see what others are doing, but in those first few positions you can have fun and try out different techniques and see what works and what doesn’t work. Because once you get to the big leagues, you will know what works.
Another interesting point that I want to start to implement into my routine is watching other reporters to see how they do it. They might have a different angle on a story than I did and it might open my eyes to something new. I’ve learned that in reporting you are constantly studying yourself and the competition to get an edge up. Nothing is permanent in this industry. One day you could be on air and the next day out the door. Therefore, the competition is high and you have to find your place.
This seminar made me excited to get out there and finally begin the career I have been waiting for since a little kid. I’m going to have to be flexible with my goals and my career path, but in the end I know it is going to be worth it.
Laura Guerriero posted on March 28, 2018 at 1:32 pm
The thought of being a newcomer- the low man on the totem pole, smallest fish in the pond, whatever you want to call it- is definitely daunting, but if there is anything this seminar reinforced, it’s that the grind is worth it.
The common theme for the night seemed to be “take anything and everything you can get.” You want to get to the top? You need to start somewhere, and that somewhere may be interning at a local paper for free. Hearing Adam Pellerin and Ryan Hannable discuss their not-so-glamorous starts (and Hannable’s years of free work in journalism paired with a paid job outside of journalism that had him working all day) reminded me of the typical actor-trying-to-make-it-big story: move to Los Angeles, bus tables all day, and go to as many auditions as possible to help kickstart your career. Keep pushing at it until you get something, and then try to work your way up from there. It’s a good thing I’m not a fan of the mundane…
Getting to the top will not be a glamorous process. I cannot even begin to count the number of times I (and I’m sure all of my peers as well) have been told about the countless hours of work, little pay, and “lack of jobs” that will greet us once we enter the real world. When I toured Newhouse at Syracuse University, I was horrified when I heard someone tell our group something along the lines of “yeah, journalism is dying, good luck finding a job because it’s so hard.”
To add a silver lining to this bleak picture we’ve been painted, there was one point Chelsi McDonald brought up that was reminiscent of our first seminar with Rob Bradford and Emerson Lotzia. The point made was that we, as newcomers in 2018, have the power to be an intimidating force in a newsroom and to not be intimidated by those that have been there potentially longer than you’ve been alive. Although Hannable mentioned that there is not a lot of fierce competition between stations, you’re still competing for your job every day. As McDonald stated, “nothing is permanent.” In today’s news world, there is no room for error, and you need to be on top of your stuff 24/7 or else, bye bye.
In December, I got a tattoo that says “peaceful warrior.” Meaning aside, I couldn’t help but relate it to being a newcomer while listening to McDonald, Pellerin, and Hannable during the seminar. It’s important to remain peaceful to make connections and to keep your head while tirelessly searching for a job or putting in hour after hour at work when it doesn’t seem like it will yield much for you. At the same time, it’s especially important to tap into that inner warrior to keep you on the hunt for your opportunity or niche, to keep at pursuing the end goal, and to fight for it with everything you’ve got. Who would have thought a tattoo could be so closely related to making a career for myself in journalism?
Jessica Citronberg posted on March 28, 2018 at 2:28 pm
Being a newbie is inevitable in every aspect of life. And for me, it’s coming sooner than I’d like it to. I definitely feel ready for life after graduation, but after hearing Chelsi McDonald, Ryan Hannable, and Adam Pellerin talk about being a newcomer, I feel a little more at ease.
Throughout the semester, we’ve touched on a lot of the same points– find your niche, distinguish yourself, and be versatile.
I understand the purpose of it, but I think this week was the first time we had a great example of it in class. Chelsi McDonald has a unique story (well, everyone has a unique story), but moving from place to place in pursue of a bigger career is no easy feat.
Starting off at FSU (go noles!) and moving on to various parts of the country, I really haven’t heard a story like Chelsi’s in our seminar. The most important thing I took away, was be in the moment, but never stop improving.
Being present at each step of a career path is incredibly important. Saying hi to the person at the front desk every morning, being kind to your co-workers. Each step matters, not just the end goal.
Whatever job I get when I graduate, it’s not going to be the goal job. That being said, no one I work with should get that vibe from me. No one should feel like they’re a stepping stone to your next job. From entry level to executive jobs, you should be putting in the same amount of effort.
But you also shouldn’t just get comfortable with where you’re at. Chelsi went from obscure markets to Boston, which is one of the best for sports broadcast journalists. But even at the lower markets, she was still always on her game.
I really respect that determination and work ethic and it’s something that I really relate to as a worker.
My first job won’t be the last time I’m a newcomer. Unless I work at the same place for my whole career (doubtful, but who knows!) I’ll be a newcomer at the next place of employment. And the next place. And the next place.
Matt Dresens posted on March 28, 2018 at 8:17 pm
For me, something really hit home after the newcomers talk. I forget exactly who brought it up, but the question was asked: “is it all was worth it.” The response went some something like “yes, its hard work, but then sometimes you get to work the Super Bowl and say to yourself, ‘yeah, this is pretty cool.’”
Bingo… For me, the same feeling came over me two weekends ago. As you know, I work for and cover the men’s hockey team week and in and week out. I know more than once this year I have been sitting in traffic on some godforsaken New England highway on a Friday night headed to a Lowell or a Merrimack game and I’ve said to myself “what the hell am I doing with my life?”
I could be a part of all my friends and instead, I’m driving myself to Orono, Maine to photograph and cover a college hockey game. Sure, during those times it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but then something will happen you’ll realize why you love this so much.
For me, that was two weeks ago at Boston Garden. For all the unpaid hours spent logging photos and shooting postgame press conferences, it all suddenly became well worth it the night BU won the Hockey East championship.
I knew that I had witnessed my “Super Bowl” moment, and at that moment it all made sense to me. This is who I am. This is what I want to do, and holy shit, this is pretty cool to be this involved with a team. To see the joy in all the player’s eyes, even coach Quinn gave me a hug after the game, it was all with it.
Going beyond journalism and this class, no matter what profession you choose, you’re inevitably going to be “the new guy.” The work is going to require long, strenuous hours and tedious, time-consuming efforts, but along the way, there will be moments you say to yourself “oh yeah, this is why I do this.”
Use those moments as motivation to get you through the hard times. You will become a better person and a better worker, no matter your profession because of it.
In addition, I also feel as if I know how to handle myself as a “new guy.” From 2015 to January 2017 I had attended three different schools, each of which had their own unique cultures. Like anything else, comfort and confidence come with time. Once you prove to yourself you can do the work, others will notice your effort. You will slowly start to fit and eventually, you will just become “one of them.”
P.S.
It’s Charlie McAvoy, not Charley
Andrew Mason posted on March 28, 2018 at 11:20 pm
You Don’t Have to be a Fish Out of Water…
If there’s anyone who knows how it feels to be a newcomer, it’s me. Boston University is the third college that I have attended, after UC Irvine and Moorpark Community College. Making the move all the way out to Boston (a town in a state I had never stepped foot in) from Los Angeles was both thrilling and heart-wrenching. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t easy at first. Having to adapt to the Boston weather, the sports fans, and the overall lifestyle took some time – heck, I’m still working on it.
But ultimately, these experiences have helped prepare me for when I become the new person in the journalism world. When joining a news team, it’s inevitable that you will find yourself in some pretty uncomfortable positions. It’s important to play to your strengths and show off the skills that landed you the job in the first place. For WEEI’s Ryan Hannable, one of these skills was his ability to produce quality multimedia works, such as his own podcast. When I joined WTBU here on campus, what made me stand out early on was my competitive desire to outwork others. Within a week of signing up for WTBU, I was beat writing, broadcasting on the radio, and hosting a radio show. If you are going to survive as the newcomer, you have to invest yourself in the craft. There’s no two ways about it.
During Thursday’s Sports Journalism Seminar class, Hannable, along with Chelsi McDonald of WHDH-TV and Adam Pellerin of NESN, mutually agreed that you have to be willing to take risks as the newcomer. Never covered lacrosse? Study up. Scared to interview a Red Sox legend? Get over it. Hannable said it as simple as it comes: “never say no.” Probably not coincidentally, this was also the same advice given to a friend of mine by the Lakers radio play-by-play person, John Ireland. The more you take on, the better you will get.
When I first started covering BU sports, WTBU’s Sports Director, Dave Souza, asked me to color commentate a softball game. My first instinct was to decline due to the fact that I had never watched a single softball game in my life. However, I challenged myself and went for it. I had to start getting my name out there somehow. This philosophy will also pay off when updating your reel and resume. Getting a great mix of experience in the early stages of your career shows that you are determined and willing to get outside of your comfort zone. Because guess what? If you’re not, there’s tons of fresh meat that will.
Setting goals helps when climbing the ladder. Make it a commitment to make the person who hired you look good. Another goal (really a necessity in 2018) is to craft a legitimate social media presence. Whether you are working for a national or small local outlet, viewers want to hear what you have to say 24/7. But, as McDonald warned the class last Thursday, be mindful with what you post. You no longer just represent you, you also represent the business your name is now tied to. So no more pictures of you slugging shots of vodka at T’s Pub anymore, buddy.
Although short term goals are great, also be thinking long term. Pellerin admitted that he always had a general sense of where he wanted to go next, constantly updating his reel and being on the lookout for the job that could be that next step. Take some time to simply take a step back and ask yourself: “where do I want to be in five years?” Personally, by 2023, I hope I have landed a full-time writing gig covering sports or politics for a newspaper or website in the Los Angeles or San Diego areas. But I understand that I need to be flexible with my goals. Be open to creative and different paths that could take you to places that you never thought you’d end up in. Who knows, it could be the place that makes your career special.
As nervous as I will be when I become the new person in the real world, I need to remember that nobody is perfect straight off the bat. Everybody makes mistakes. But if I capitalize on my strengths, take every opportunity that comes my way, and soak up knowledge and advice like a sponge, I might just be able to pull it off. And before long, I will be the one that the newcomers look up to.
Alanna McDonough-Rice posted on March 28, 2018 at 11:59 pm
Being a newcomer can be both scary and exhilarating. It’s new. It’s fresh. It’s thrilling, but also horrifying. Years ago a good friend of mine told me the potential to succeed and fail depends upon the size window we allow ourselves to have in our lives. If we keep a small view of life or a small window, we don’t have the potential for great happiness, but we also will never have to experience great failure. If we keep a wide open view of life, we give ourselves a massive window. We allow ourselves the room for immense success, but also crushing failure.
I think allowing ourselves to experience the newness of post-graduation life to the fullest and pushing our limits gives us a massive window. Yes, we can crash and burn, but we can also become very successful. We need to go out into the world, try everything we can, and work on perfecting our talents to continue to grow our success.
I believe that it is important to discuss what it is like to be the new person in the room, because we all have to be the newbie at sometime. Life is all about trying what’s new and exciting and if we don’t learn how to deal with it now- we will severely limit ourselves in the future. From monitoring what we post on social media (the world is watching you now more than ever) to pushing our boundaries, being new may be a challenge, but it’s always better to be new and moving onward and upward than to be comfortable and stagnant.
Jacqui Manning posted on March 29, 2018 at 9:58 am
I was pretty surprised after leaving last week’s seminar. Well, I’m always pretty surprised after leaving the seminars, because the panelists always say something that I wouldn’t expect them to say. From women in the media, to being a fish out of water…. Some of the things the journalists said I did not expect.
Especially because in this case, to me anyways, the panelists did not act like newcomers at ALL. I’m three months into my full-time job, and I don’t think I have an ounce of the confidence that Chelsi McDonald has. All she kept saying was she knew she wanted to get here, and she did what she had to do. She believes in herself and her capabilities, and that confidence is 100 percent personified on-screen and off.
I think that this is the biggest take-away I got from last week. That’s one of the keys to life, no matter what profession you’re in: always be confident in your abilities. I’m sure Chelsi McDonald’s journey has not been so smooth sailing, (I’m thinking of the story she told about running up and down a football field by herself). Yet, even in that story, she described it through a positive outlook, as if it was all training that got her to Boston.
No one has to know about the time you were late to an assignment, or got a parking ticket for staying too long, or maybe the question you should have asked, but didn’t. I think in the end, we’re all fish out of waters in some aspect of life. They key is to know your goals, believe in yourself, and do whatever it takes to get there.
Shane Rhodes posted on April 2, 2018 at 1:10 pm
It may seem strange to say this, but being a newcomer might be the thing I’m least worried about going into journalism — to some extent we have all been newcomers in something up to this point in our lives. There will, eventually, be people who are hired after us, so is something so trivial something we should be worried about?
As far as I’m concerned, no.
The way I see it we are all going to need to earn the respect of our contemporaries — coworker and athlete alike — before settling in, and the same could be said of any job in any field. We as newbies just need to focus on improving/adding to our skills repertoire wherever and whenever we can so that we can actually be in the position to become newbies for an outlet or station. Anything else is just a distraction from that final goal.
And by no means are you safe from “newcomer” status after landing your first job. If you are ever let go or look to move on or up in your career, you may not be a newcomer to the industry but you will be a newcomer to wherever you end up. Again, it isn’t worth getting worked up over something so insignificant.
There are certainly unfortunate consequences of being tenderfoot in this industry. We may have to work in a non-sports field to start, just to build a name for ourselves. Or, we may have to work for free, something no one wants to do, in order to just get our foot in the door somewhere. But, in the end, all of the work we put in (hopefully) will be worth it.
All of that said, there are definitely some things I took away from this seminar that I think are important.
We, as up-and-coming journalists, owe it to ourselves to go back and watch our own tape. Not only to celebrate our strengths but to critique ourselves and figure out where we can improve. I hate seeing myself in photos or video, but that’s something I’ll have to get over if I want to improve. Adding to that, I should be watching/listening to other reporters far more often than I already do. Just as I can learn from going back over my own tape, I can learn what to do (and, in some cases, what not to do) from veteran journalists.
Both practices are something I never really thought of doing (which is weird, considering the athletes who we want to work with are constantly watching game film of themselves), and I’m glad that Hannable, McDonald and Pellerin brought them up.