5. Responsibilities…
are supervisors over the
Editors: These individuals
newspaper, magazine, blog, etc. They decide what
makes press and what doesn’t. Editors must make
cuts and edits to articles and photos.
Reporters: These individuals must collect
information and turn the facts and questions into a
story. Must be able to cover a very wide area of
topics.
Photojournalists: These individuals use photos to
share their story. They will follow a reporter and
capture pictures to tell the story even further.
6. Desired Skills &
Experiences Required…
Education: A Bachelors Degree in either
Communication or Journalism.
Always using the “journalistic truth” : where a
journalist makes sure to verify facts before writing an
article or specific piece.
Loyal to readers by providing accurate and non-bias
information.
Independence: coming up with their own work not
copying others.
7. Essential role in
Journalism…
In order to be success in the field of journalism an
individual must be determined to provide the very
best work as possible. As well as loyal to his/her
readers, by providing trustworthy information.
Finally a love of language is essential for a
journalist. By having a wide vocabulary, your work
becomes more interesting and compelling to the
readers.
“Journalism is storytelling with a
purpose...”
9. Interview with Paul Wallen
1. What is the title of your job?
“I have dual roles at the Tampa Bay Times in St. Petersburg,
Florida. For Bay magazine, a bi-monthly glossy lifestyle
publication, my title is Creative Director. My primary role is
art directing and designing. But we have a very small staff
for Bay magazine, so I do a lot of other things too. I
originate content ideas, manage the editorial budget, direct
planning, assign stories and photographs, plan and oversee
photo shoots and occasionally write stories myself. For
Latitudes, the Times' Sunday travel, literature and arts
section, I am a Senior Designer. In that role I mostly art
direct and design the pages. In addition to all that, I do some
music writing on the side -- occasionally for the Times but
more often as a freelancer for niche music sites and
publications such as Engine 145. In the past I have worked
as a reporter, editor and manager at a variety of small and
large newspapers, including The Baltimore Sun, San Diego
Union-Tribune and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.”
2. What is your favorite thing
about your career in journalism?
“There have been a lot of great things
about my career. I have met so many great
people, lived in a variety of wonderful
locations across the U.S. and had
opportunities to do things I wouldn't have
otherwise. But my favorite thing is really
just the work itself. I love telling stories
and the creative problem solving process
that runs through all of my work. Many
people think writing and designing are
two very different things. But the thought
process for me that goes into both is very
similar. It's all about identifying the most
compelling information and figuring out
the most interesting way to present it,
whether in words or visuals. I've been
doing some version of that for more than
20 years and I still love it. ”
10. Contact Information:
pbwallen@icloud.com
3. What is the biggest challenge of a career in
journalism?
“I think the biggest challenge is just the economic
instability of the print industry, especially
newspapers and magazines. There used to be
many "destination" employers in the industry, the
kind of places that once you got hired you knew
you were in a good place for the rest of your
career. There's a lot less certainty now. Being
good at your job doesn't necessarily keep you
secure anymore, more and more people lose their
jobs just because of economic factors and
companies downsizing, trying to make up for
dwindling profits. The other challenging side
effect of this is that jobs are getting more
demanding and stressful as workers are forced to
do more in less time due to smaller staffs.”
4. Where did you attend
college?
“I came to journalism through a
little bit of an untraditional
route. I attended the military
school for journalism at the
Department of Defense
Information School and then
trained as a military journalist
for four years.
When my enlistment was up, I
got a job as a reporter at a small
daily newspaper and that's how I
began my career.
I had studied graphic arts at York
County Vocational-Technical
school for three years prior to
joining the military,
and now much of my work
combines those two disciplines.”
11. Interview Continued…
5. What is the most
rewarding part of your job?
“I've been very fortunate to
work with and learn from
some very talented people, so
now I feel like the most
rewarding part of my job is
sharing what I've learned with
others. I particularly enjoy
coaching and mentoring
journalists who are early in
their careers and helping them
accomplish their goals. I also
really enjoy learning in
general, so the other rewarding
part of my job is that there's
always something new to
learn.”
6. Being a communications major focusing on mass
media, do you recommend a career in journalism?
“I do recommend journalism for anyone who truly
enjoys the work. The work is usually fun and always
interesting. It's easy to get scared off by the challenges
the industry is facing right now. But for someone who is
passionate about learning and doing great work, those
challenges can be overcome. Still, it's important to go in
with your eyes open: There are three pieces of advice I
give anyone any student that's serious about going into
journalism:
1. Definitely work for your college newspaper, that
experience will help you throughout your career.
2. Diversify your skill set as much as possible. Learn
print, digital, broadcast, etc. The more things you can do,
the more opportunities you will find in journalism.
3. Don't overlook the value of summer internships. They
are the best way to see what it will be like to work as a
journalist and help you land a good first job.”
12. Work Cited
News Manual. "Media Helping Media." Journalism's Roles and Responsibilities. Kiva, 12
July 2012. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.
"Principles of Journalism." Pew Research Centers Journalism Project RSS. Pew Research
Center, n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013
"Journalist Education Requirements and Career Information." Diss. N.d. Education
Portal. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
