Hot Topics: 2013

Lesson learned. As soon as I walked into the interview with Randy Lovely, I knew I was already behind. I thought we were waiting for a verbal all-call, and I missed the cue. I scrambled to find a seat, get out my questions, notebook and camera, and get my cell phone recorder going. I was a mess. I like to be focused and ready for something like that, but my brain was already overwhelmed and the interview had hardly begun.

As the interview began, I was thrilled that my fellow fellows were asking some great questions, and I soon found a focus. I had done a little homework last night, but the question I asked went nowhere.
I will admit the deadline was exciting. It was a chance to experience what I have occasionally put my students through and a friendly reminder to be firm but kind.
The outcome: Randy gave me hope. Students who have a passion for journalism should not be deterred from studying journalism; they should be ready for change. “The biggest thing I would tell them is to be open-minded about what this news and information environment will continue to look like and morph into, because one of the things I say to my staff is the day you think you’ve got it all figured out and you know it all is the day you’ve just ended your career.”