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Interns giving journalism lessons

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Stitch, May 8, 2009.

  1. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    Send her my way. I don't have a child old enough to be college, let alone one who was in college several years ago. :D
     
  2. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    How much do you pay?
     
  3. Angola!

    Angola! Guest

    God you're a douche. Add in your racist rants and you become one of the biggest idiots on this site.
     
  4. I would caution interns to be careful how they approach the vets and I would caution the vets to listen.

    It's been a while since I was an intern/new reporter fresh out of college but I certainly haven't forgotten what it's like. The biggest challenge was figuring out how what I learned at my college paper applied to what I was doing at my first professional paper. The only way I could do that was by talking out loud and asking questions.

    For instance, I was told in college to NEVER bump heads. When I got to the real world, I saw it all the time so I spoke up. Obviously, it's all in the approach. I wasn't arrogant at all. I just asked and learned there are times designers feel it's necessary. Still, when I was still doing pages I would make it my own personal policy not to bump heads, but I didn't rip into someone who did.

    It wasn't always roses. I know I refused to do some things a certain way because I knew there were better/easier ways to do them. Obviously that wasn't the best way to go about it. In the end, though, I was right and it turned out that I had lots I could teach some of the people who have been there for years.

    I just think in these changing times, the smart reporter/designer/editor will try to pick up what he can from the younger generation while passing down the old school lessons on ethics, etc. Outside of a twitter seminar, I haven't seen many opportunities for continuing learning come my way lately, so I'll take what I can get.
     
  5. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Best tip I ever got came from someone who was born AFTER I started in the business. She could learn more from me than I could from her but that doesn't mean I couldn't learn anything from her.
    Some of these young wiseass whippersnappers who think they're so fucking smart ARE fucking smart.
    Sometimes their approach makes you wanna smack 'em in the head but don't ignore the message because of the delivery.
     
  6. Fredrick

    Fredrick Well-Known Member

    Nobody is discounting the possibility they "might" have something of use to add to the equation.
    If they say it like a no it all or if I don't like their delivery of the information, I ignore them.
    Interns with attitudes ... don't need 'em.
     
  7. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Know shit!!
     
  8. Agreed. Even if the message does come in a way you don't like, you can still learn a lot from it, and owe it to yourself to do exactly that.

    On that note, if it does come in a way you don't like, be the bigger man. Treat an intern with courtesy, most will return that, unless their upbringing was just awful. Don't, and most will resent and not respect you. That writer who was a complete prick to me was a perfect example. I lost any respect I had for him that day.

    After the incident, my view of him was something along the lines of, "Your decades of experience in this field don't mean a thing. You've already proven with your tantrum that I'm both a better journalist and a better person than you are."
     
  9. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    We have an intern now who has to improve to be an asshole.
    At the state soccer finals last weekend, he was holding court in the press box, complaining about every bad call (not locally, just everyone he didnt agree with.)
    A few weeks ago, he was budgeted for a story that was six inches. He wrote 10 (not the first time) on a tight night. His standard excuse is "That's what the desk is for. I felt it was important."
    I told him that if he needed more space, he damn well better call and see if he can have it; to write long and dump it on the desk was lazy.
    He wrote back that calling him lazy was "mean"; I told him that I was calling his actions lazy and I stood by what I told him.
     
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