Potential Job in the Immediate Future

Anchor/Reporter – Casper, Wyoming

Requirements:
Passion and dedication to the news!
Great story teller who writes to video
A knowledge of and curiosity about local, national, and international current affairs.
Familiar with both linear  and non-linear edit systems.
Ability to meet daily deadlines and work cooperatively with other staff members
Must possess a valid driver’s license with no DUI convictions and  pass drug screening
Good phone etiquette
Newsroom computer experience preferred
Applicant should be able to report, shoot, write, produce and edit for air, and write for the web
Ability to carry fifty pounds of television equipment

I feel the reporter/anchor position in Casper, Wyoming is one I could step into at the moment, or in the near future after completing my Masters’ degree. It’s one thing to tell a prospective employer you can do all those things, it’s another to show them. My resume portrays me as a multimedia journalist who has experience one-man banding, meaning I have a working knowledge of editing systems, newsroom computer experience, and most importantly, the ability to report, shoot, write, produce and edit for air.

My reel includes packages I have reported and produced on a daily deadline, and my extensive work within the UF INC over the past year hints at my ability to work cooperatively with others in a newsroom setting. I’ve done a profile report on a local Israeli restauranteur and an investigative look at the city’s panhandling ordinance, which in my opinion, showcase my ability to tell stories and write to my video. As well, nearly two full years of broadcast rundown production and anchoring have give me a solid base of experience and understanding when it comes to that side of on-air coverage, something that while not stated, is certainly implied in a search for an anchor.

However, I have a lot more to learn, and these two added years of academia will make me far more comfortable as a writer — both for the web and broadcast reports, as well as further clue me in to a big tenant of the requirements, a knowledge of local, national, and international affairs. While it’s certainly a dream job in term of first-job responsibilities out of college, it’s location in a small market like Casper, Wyoming makes it attainable.

Potential Job down the Road

Television News Reporter – Fresno, California

KMPH-TV, the Fox affiliate in Fresno, California, seeks a talented and aggressive news reporter who may, at times, fill-in on the anchor desk. Outstanding visual storytelling skills, amazing conversational writing ability, and an aggressive approach to reporting the news are all qualities we seek in our newest team member. Only experienced TV News Reporters will be considered for this position.

What seems a far more demanding job in a higher-profile market, the reporter position at KMPH-TV in Fresno, California isn’t a job I’m likely to get right out of college. The ad requests experienced reporters, and while I’ll have some college level experience, that’s likely not going to satisfy the employers requirements.

Hopefully, my skills will have developed enough five years out that my reel will be filled with reports that showcase my visual storytelling skills and conversational writing ability. While it’s no sure thing to expect improvement if the work isn’t put in, I have a tremendous amount of confidence in my ability to grow and expand as a critical and thoughtful reporter who is capable of telling stories and not just reporting the news.

Though I’ve learned a ton in college, at some point a wall is hit, and only real-world experience can help develop the requisite skills further. In particular, it’s the aggressive approach to reporting the news that I’m not fully comfortable with just yet, and that’s something I’d expect to develop during my first or second job out of college.

In a Monday morning examination of what makes Cincinnati/North Kentucky International Airport (airport code CVG) the best in America, NPR’s Brian Naylor’s September 2nd Morning Edition report proclaims Cincinnati’s Airport: Best In The U.S.?, while bringing the listening audience into CVG and presenting a case for the airport’s placement among the sprawling aviation hubs that dot the world. But even if you didn’t have the time to listen to a full-report, and enjoy the active and engaging ambient sound of the bustling airport, the story’s web presence exemplifies a lot of the aspects that Jonathan Kern’s Sound Reporting chapter on Beyond Radio covered.

Though not among the hard-news driven stories of the past week (namely, American involvement in a seemingly imminent Syrian crisis), this light, consumer-driven report is well produced and centers on the World Airport Awards’ 2013 list of the best airports across the globe. Shockingly (or not so, depending on whom you’d ask) the first American airport isn’t found until 30, where CVG is wedged comfortably between two Australian airports (Melbourne at 29th, Sydney 31st). Populating the list are big name international destinations from around the world — Asia and Eastern Europe dominate the top of the list, but I digress.

Naylor’s narration is energetic and colloquial, which makes for a great listen, but not necessarily a great read. While the audio’s transcript and it’s print counterpart vary almost immediately, the similarities between the two are remarkable. The print story even includes volunteer Charlotte Davis’ laugh when she jokes just how “darn good” she is at her job — telling people where to go.

It’s evident the staffer charged with transcribing Naylor’s report and converting it to print form didn’t take many liberties with regards to rearranging his narration, and for good reason. His clear, concise style works well for the eye, and save for how sound bites are introduced as opposed to the quotes in the written report, the two typed versions are, as previously mentioned, very similar.

The real connectivity of the article comes with it’s various links to related NPR articles, which engage with a reader-centric headline like Coming to an Airport Near You, inform with a report on the worst airports for delays. Coincidentally, Beijing and Shanghai, among the top twenty airports in the rankings, are at the top of the list for delays. For those interested in the politics of such things, the last link rounds out the topically grouped reports with an in-depth look at the US Airways-American Airlines merger and how it could affect airports, particularly Reagan National. For all those search for more info on the aviation business, the linked articles represent various routes curious researchers might take.

Based on the Kern readings, I’d suggest a bullet point list of the features Naylor believes make CVG such a well-regarded airport, or perhaps a graph that breaks down the top rated airports by geography. Extra information could have been a handy reference point for those who like to delve deep for comparing and contrasting.