Sports Journalism Summit IV at Poynter

[WaylonJennings]

Session D: "You've got to want it!" -- Dave Kindred, SportsJournalists.com motivational poster

 

[I Should Coco]

I have no desire to knock this gathering nor anyone who went to it. A chance for journos to meet face-to-face and learn how others survive in this rough business is a great thing. Hopefully the summit in Florida was well worth it for all who attended.

However, I must report that in 15 years as a stringer/reporter/photographer/copy editor -- just about all of that spent working full-time for various daily and weekly newspapers -- I have yet to attend a single professional seminar or workshop. Over the years, my training has consisted of things like the boss telling me, "We use Quark here. Click on the icon to open it. Our deadline is midnight."

Good luck, everybody.

 

[SF_Express]

I have no desire to knock this gathering nor anyone who went to it. A chance for journos to meet face-to-face and learn how others survive in this rough business is a great thing. Hopefully the summit in Florida was well worth it for all who attended.

However, I must report that in 15 years as a stringer/reporter/photographer/copy editor -- just about all of that spent working full-time for various daily and weekly newspapers -- I have yet to attend a single professional seminar or workshop. Over the years, my training has consisted of things like the boss telling me, "We use Quark here. Click on the icon to open it. Our deadline is midnight."

Good luck, everybody.

It's too bad that some places just don't recognized the value -- educationally and motivationally -- of occasionally sending people out to these things. I've been really lucky that way over the years -- of course, a lot of those years were in a much more robust time for the business.

I even had a managing editor who decided that, with economic issues having an increasing impact on sports, I should go to the Wharton School for business writers, and I spent a week there -- as a sports editor. And it was a great experience.

Those kinds of reaches aren't going to happen very much anymore, but hopefully, forward-thinking managers will still recognize the value of sending people to professional growth opportunities.

 

[michael_badley]

I didn't attend this year's Summit for financial reasons, but one of my best friends was there. He brought up an interesting story that I'd nearly forgotten about.

From an e-mail last Thursday:

"Remember when Bo Jackson beat the **** out of that reporter a few years back? Well, that reporter's here. I heard he was in the audience at today's sessions."

Apparently that guy is still in the business. Good for him that he stuck with it, I guess, even in this market and after such an ugly incident.

Also, Paige and Howard didn't show despite being on the list of speakers.