Every story is local. Every international happening boils down to an affected community - our friends, family and neighbours. I'm not sure which of my many mentors said this exactly, but it stands out as a golden rule of journalism.
Every story is local. Every international happening boils down to an affected community - our friends, family and neighbours. I'm not sure which of my many mentors said this exactly, but it stands out as a golden rule of journalism. I've carried this notion with me all the way from Bethany, ON - a smudge on the map save a General Store and a custom leather shop - to downtown Bonnyville.
Back home, I worked in Millbrook, ON, - a town slightly more popular than Bethany, if only just - as a jack-of-all-trades reporter. Much like I expect working with the Bonnyville Nouvelle will be, working in Millbrook was all about supporting local businesses, keeping tabs on local events, and opening up honest conversations with the people of the community. I look forward to meeting everyone and learning their stories as I settle here, a place I'm finding isn't so different from home.
I half expected the Welcome Back Kotter theme song to start playing when I landed in Alberta just two weeks ago. This is my second time picking up and moving west. The first time I moved to Calgary as an intern for Breakfast Television Calgary. I've been asked why I made the trade to print after working in television - the simple answer is I love writing just as much as I love shooting. I don't need to be in front of a camera to get to the bottom of what's happening. I can do it all with a pen - or a keyboard as the case may be.
Newspapers are undergoing a major revamp when it comes to how they tell stories. It's becoming increasingly important to have multimedia experience, and to be able to edit reports for your phone, your computer and anything else electronic and futuristic that comes out in the next century. The lines between media mediums are blurring. Some newspapers already stream video online, and every major news channel has a blog. It's an opportunity to expand horizons and practice a never before seen fluidity in reporting - not to mention it means constantly changing so there's never a dull moment!
Alas, I couldn't stay here in Alberta last time. I had to go home to finish my Bachelor of Journalism at Humber College's Etobicoke, ON campus - home sweet home to late Rob Ford, former mayor of Toronto. I was lucky enough to be taking political reporting 101 while Ford was in office. Covering his exploits with classmates are some of my most memorable moments from college - he will be missed.
Local papers remain today because the local angle is so important, even as national papers and media organizations cut back left, right and centre. That's not to say that national papers like the National Post and the Globe and Mail don't have an important role in the churning of news media, it's just been my experience that local papers are where community members turn at the beginning of their day - a great avenue to help get involved.
Long story short, I'm in love with local reporting. It's the reason I'm looking forward to becoming an active member of the Lakeland community, especially as we move into summer - there's so many beautiful lakes here! Give me a shout and help me submerge. See you soon.
