Is It A Young Journalist Thing, Or Is It Just Me?

I noticed something that I do every time I contact someone for an interview. I always make a script. I state my name, the newspaper, and the nature of my call. I also tailor my script to fit different scenarios, like if I get the person's voice mail.

The script helps me know that I stated everything that the potential interviewee needs to know. I also practice the script at least once. I just have to remember to speak slowly. If my script is too long, I'll put space where I should naturally pause so I don't rush. Weird habit, I know.

Is this just a young journalist thing, or is it just me? What steps do you take to prepare for an interview?

The Hyperlocal Market

Tomorrow's News, Tomorrow's Journalist (TNTJ), a blog for young journalists, focused on hyperlocal news during February. This got me thinking about the element of proximity in news writing. People always search for relevance, interest, and usefulness. I think this is why hyperlocal news succeeds.

If an event is happening in someone's own backyard, then they are more inclined to find out more about it. I've had the opportunity to work on some hyperlocal news. It gives a young journalist the opportunity to get his/her feet wet by going after the story.

Most young journalists will not have the opportunity to travel abroad to get international news firsthand like more seasoned journalists. However, traveling through one's own local area can provide more stories that your audience will find relevant, interesting, and useful.

Feel free to leave comments below or to visit TNTJ to discuss hyperlocal news (TNTJ February: The Value of Hyperlocal to Young Journalists).

Caught in the Crossfire

With the recent resignation of Mubarak in Egypt, I began to think of the journalists who are in the area. While the thought of being in the midst of the action is exciting, the thought of potential danger is quite overwhelming. Journalists have become casualties of crossfire in dangerous areas throughout the past century for the sake of the story.

Firms, like Centurion Risk Assessment and AKE Integrated Risk Solutions, prepare journalists on how to encounter situations that arise. These situations range from first aid to being taken hostage. So the journalists that want to go are prepared. I know some journalists who would jump at the chance to report from a war-torn country. But I'm not one of those journalists. I can't imagine being in the middle of a conflict. I would like to think that I would travel to a country hit by a natural disaster. On the other hand, I don't even handle camping very well.

The threat of danger is enough to scare many away from traveling to a country riddled with conflict. So my question to journalists, would you travel to a war-torn country or disaster-stricken country for the sake of the story?