One more

Allow me one last thing..I have been meaning to post this for a while but between the move and the holidays it got away from me.

I have been thinking about my future in this industry. I want to become indispensable at work, as per your suggestion. So, as soon as the move is complete, I'm ready to start.

Editing, producing, the works.....I want to ensure future job security somehow.

I'd also like to sit down with you and HR and discuss the health insurance thing.

Blogmedia

A friend of mine (who is not in the media/news/TV business) recently asked me where do blogs belong in the media world? Does having a blog make you a journalist?

Part of me thinks that anyone can write an influential article and as long as all the sources and facts check out it doesn't matter what media they created it for. This happens in academia when someone publishes a 'scientific' paper in a peer journal and might be asked to adapt it for the New York Times Magazine. Or one can be a traditional journalist and simply cut and paste an article they wrote onto their own blog (as Esther sometimes teases us with her clips ). Or you could be the anchor of a national news show and sometimes blog and no one will think that you are less of a journalist for doing so.

I am beginning to think that an area where bloggers are making more of an impact is in the op-ed area. As Jay Rosen points out, there is not necessarily an editor or fact checker or researcher for every blogger who fancies himself a critic.

Another thing is that is different with a blog is you, as an author, have an almost instant feedback loop with your audience. Jay Rosen basically states that the essay he posted is a draft and he planned to check the Comments section. he refers to it as 'After Matter: Notes, reactions & links'. I don't really think that Ted Koppel has that option with viewers of Nightline. Neither does Frank Rich- I have to read his column first in the New York Times (paper version).

{Note- I am curious to see what Steve thinks of this, being that he's way more experienced with the Tao of Blogging}

SAFRAN: Oh, it's a long-running argument without an answer, and it's starting to bore me. Asking "Does blogging make you a journalist?" is like asking "Does painting make you an artist?" The answer is: some times. When I paint, I am clearly not an artist. Ditto others with blogging. Remember: there is no such thing as a "blog." Blogging is software used to make a web page. What you do on that page is what matters. I am (clearly) not a news snob, but a couple of things are clear:

1. Blogging no more makes you a journalist than taking an aspirin makes you a doctor. Most blogs link to other stories, which is meta at best. Writing about your own life is not exactly journalism, because you're not trying to get the "other side." And writing opinion is just that: opinion.

1a. Just because you blog, doesn't mean you're going to replace the traditional media. Remember: someone's got to aggregate the millions of pieces of information out there.

2. Rosen is right, in that blogs are terrific for writer/company feedback from our customers. Most companies still don't get that. See: Jarvis v Dell.

3. Bloggers love to talk about blogging. It's getting cult-like. We pat ourselves on the back way, way too much. Some blogs are terrific, some are decent and most are of little value.

4. To answer your friend's question: blogging is a part of the overall world of journalism. Pictures didn't do away with writing, video didn't do away with pictures, and blogging won't take over, either.

Thanks for the input and for adding to ongoing debate about this topic.

Headlines

Typhoon Longwang heading for China

I almost put this headline on the newsticker the other morning...until I realized that we might get nasty phone calls telling us that the station is putting perverted things on the ticker. Did I make the right choice?

News is....

...more emotionally exhausting than I ever imagined. Sure I worked in the newsroom at the last station when they needed help, but those were usually in times of undue stress (blizzard, Election Night, etc...). Maybe my opinion/experience so far has been colored by what has gone on in the world since I began my new job- the Gaza Pullout, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita....

My opinions about what I do and what others who work in news (any kind- newspaper, TV, etc..) do. I am beginning to feel more proud of my job because it enables me to do something to help disseminate information- info that might help someone in a time of need or even just make them laugh when they're having a bad day. This does not mean that I am going to take myself too seriously and start having some sort of ego trip because I am the gatekeeper of some information. But at the end of the day it makes me feel better that I've done my (small) part in the very selfish society that we live in.

SAFRAN: I'm in it for the beer. There is nothing selfish about seeing yourself as a "gatekeeper of information." In fact, I kind of like that analysis. There's a slightly more cynical version of that you will hear around newsrooms, and that is "News is what I say it is." The best that you can do is distill. There is more information out there than ever. And it's up to us to decide what people care about most, what affects their lives most, and what they will enjoy most. Journalism is suffering from a lack of pride; add to the much-needed confidence and you'll feel even more rewarded. Remember: the hardest news days are the slow ones.

What am I?

I had to categorize myself on a form today. The closest applicable title was 'journalist'. Is that appropriate? Am I a journalist? What are the criteria in these days of multi-media internet fabulousness?

While thinking about my impending move to be closer to work I found myself wishing that I could gaze into a crystal ball and see what my (career) future might be. Care to offer up a opinion Steve? I am grateful that you had the confidence to hire me and sometimes wonder if you glimpse something in me that I do not yet see in myself. ..raw talent that needs honing...stuff like that....

SAFRAN: The first (and often only) answer I give to the "What's your job?" question is "I am a journalist." To me, it's the only title that matters. The rest of our titles are ones that few civilians would understand anyway. If I am known as a journalist for the rest of my life, I will be very proud of that.



Of course you have the raw talent. You can improve your writing. That's not a personal critique, per se - we can all improve our writing. I'm convinced I am a B/B+ writer right now, and I want to get the A.



Chill a bit. I think you're looking for too much, too fast. Work the ugly hours, come in as much as you can (even when you don't want to) and make yourself indispensible. I know you'll hate to hear it - but you're young, you're just starting, and there is an awful lot to learn. You can't expect to do it all at once. 15 years in, and I only now feel like I have a grip on the thing - but certainly not perfection. Your news judgement will forever be honed. Your style, your confidence - it never stops. My only advice is one word: LEARN. If there is ever a day where you think you're not learning, do something about it. Bother me, or another manager, or even take it upon yourself. You can't stop learning.



I'm reading books on management style, something I never thought I'd do. To me, management style consists of saying "Do this until it's finished, then go home." Obviously, that's not all that useful. Friendly, perhaps, but not useful to anyone hoping to learn from me or surpass my knowledge. If you ain't learnin', you ain't at the right place. The first question I ask myself in job interviews is "What can these people teach me?" If the answer is "Not much," I don't bother with the rest.

Content wells and ergonomic wish list

1. When the partner site gives us instructions it would be helpful if they could provide screen shots of the Bonzai version of the page, not the final public URL.
Safran:: GOD yes. It's been a bugaboo since the beginning of the relationship. They simply know more about code and Bonzai than we ever will - or ever care to. I've asked them to dumb it down for me.

2. Can we get a new keyboard? The buttons on this one stick, resulting in my pounding on the keyboard, which kills my wrists and fingers. Good ergonomics make for happier and healthier workers.
SAFRAN: I will ask the IT Gods. When they say "No," I'll take you to Staples and buy the damn thing myself.

Thank you.

3. And a trackball? That would help as well.
SAFRAN: Now that's a personal preference thing. I don't like trackballs.

4. An employee lounge with a couch for people to nap on. Like a hospital has for on-call doctors. I can't tell you how many people asked me if we had this upon hearing about my Sunday/Monday schedule.

SAFRAN: And a shower. We really need a shower. Sadly, there is the fear in most newsrooms that a shower would be, ahem, abused. Shame, really, because it would encourage more people to bike to work, exercise at lunch, and it would be a boon to us when news breaks and we work overnight into the next day. If you are ever tired, a short nap goes a long way. I don't know why napping gets a bad rap in our culture - it works wonders. If I ever needed to lie down during an overnight, I got a tech to let me into one of the offices with a desk. Or I just slept on the floor.

The old station had a shower in one of the bathrooms. Leftover from when ti was a jewelry facotry and in case someone needed to get the hazerdous material off of them. Was never abused. Mainly used for people to change into gym clothes.

Audience

Steve, I wonder if anyone reads this besides us (and my friends on occasion)?

SAFRAN: Oh, I doubt it. On the other hand, it's still an experiment and I wonder if the goal is to have an audience at all - or simply to improve the boss-employee relationship by communicating this way.

Manic Monday

Whose idea was this crazy late Sunday night to early Monday a.m. shift? It's insane to ask of anyone's body clock. I am now useless on Mondays. I drive home from work (not the safest driver after doing the 80 mile round trip twice in under 24 hours) and crash.
I have a list of things To Do on my desk but I have not done any of them. All I can manage is sit slothfully on the couch most of the day. Sure I'm blogging now but it's because I needed to get this off my chest. I am also apparently rather amusing when overtired, or so I've been told.
I'm all for paying dues, but some things are insane. I had no idea of the reality of how this would wreak havoc on my body clock and in turn my life (ex: undone To Do list). It doesn't help that I do live so far away. I like my house here, it is my home, but I need to be way closer to work.

SAFRAN: Time for Mean Old Boss Man to show his ugly head. And you're dealing with the hardest part of getting started in news - shift work. Overnights and early calls are hideous, awful and take a toll. I had to leave an overnight gig several years ago because it actually put me in a depression. You're amusing when you're overtired - and amusing when you're awake. And you're right - being closer to work will help things and will also mean a safer drive. I once glanced a phone poll while leaving the station's parking lot after an overnight.

Lyss:
This was sort of prompted by my near miss with a fire hydrant off Highland Ave.

FAQ

All your silly TV News questions answered here.

Six Sigma

A while ago you asked me what Six Sigma was. Here's the Wikipedia answer:

Six Sigma is a quality management program to achieve "six sigma" levels of quality. It was pioneered by Motorola in the mid-1980s by Bob Galvin, who succeeded his father and the founder of Motorola as head of the company, Paul Galvin, and by Motorola engineer Bill Smith. It has since spread to many other manufacturing companies, including GE, Honeywell, Raytheon, Seagate Technology, and Microsoft. However, it can be applied wherever the control of variation is desired. In recent years, it has begun to branch out into the service industry, and in 2000, Fort Wayne, Indiana became the first city to implement the program in a city government. Some, claiming that Six Sigma's impact has not yet been fully realized, advocate an open source approach so that the principles of Six Sigma might be more widely adopted.

SAFRAN: In other words, "Do it right." Sheesh. Business people make everything so frickin' complicated.

"Bitch" as a power word

It was a big compliment yesterday when you told me that you hired me because I am 'pushy'. The validation of my attitude, behavior, personality, or whatever you attribute it, to means a lot. I've been criticized for that same quality many times, especially in situations where I've refused to back down. It's good to know that there are men in the work world who can deal with a woman with her own opinions. I'm especially glad that my boss is one of them.

SAFRAN: Thanks, but let's be clear for the home audience... I didn't use the "B" word. I believe I said "You're pushy. I like that." And I do. Too many people in newsrooms would rather seethe than try and bring problems to the forefront. News is about agressively pursuing information. I don't see what being a woman has to do with it, or why aggresive women are called "bitches." To me, a bitch is anyone who... well... bitches a lot without offering constructive advice or solutions. That ain't you.

True, Steve did not use the word 'bitch'. I did not mean to imply that he did. But that is what pushy women tend to be called...think Hilary Clinton or the mom in Terminator 2.

Busy season

This busy hurricane season makes me think about disaster planning and emergency management at work. I have recently found myself wondering whether or not the station has a plan in place. We've heard about the TV stations on the Gulf Coast who broadcast through Hurricane Katrina, despite losing parts of their buildings (also newspapers and radio stations).

When I say I worked at the safest TV station in the country I wasn't kidding. They were the first TV station in the country to be certified under OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).

VPP would come to be a thorn in my side (and everybody else's) but I have to admit it made me feel a it safer knowing that if something happened there was a plan. (Not that a plan ensures that everything will go as planned, but at lest there's some sort of protocol).