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“This is not a radio newsroom, this is a multi-media newsroom.” ~ Jim Farley WTOP Vice President of News and Programming

On the eve of Washington DC’s largest snow storm in history (later dubbed “Snowmageddon 2010″ by the President himself) the Semester in Washington Journalism Program students visit WTOP, Washington’s only all-news radio station with traffic and weather together. We met with Jim Farley, who took us on a tour of the chaotic newsroom and talked to students about the changes happening in radio communication today. The snow flurries fell as we witness news happen all around us and reporters learn to adjust to the breaking news. Phones rang non-stop and paper flew across desktops throughout our 3 hour visit- it was awesome! The perfect day to watch, listen and learn for aspiring journalists.

Jim spoke about the need for his reporters and hosts to engage audiences as much as possible, across as many platforms as possible, making WTOP not just a radio station but a multimedia news source. Just earlier that week the website alone had surpassed its 2 millionth hit. (As a radio station! Not as blog or a digital magazine!)

He advised students to work hard to become not just good writers but great writers, since writing is the foundation of all media communication. At WTOP, interns are taught write in the simple, present tense. Jim says that by learning to use simple words, short sentences helps students become better journalists. ” If you know how to write for radio you can transfer your writing to ANY medium.” Those words couldn’t be more true, particularly when it comes to writing in the digital world today where it is essential to know how to write in a few sentences or 140 characters.

As the role of the everyday citizen morphs into a form of eye-witness reporter, Jim advises every reporter and intern, “First get it right, then get it first.” His rule of thumb is to be weary of things you may read online, not everything on the internet is true. Remember that next time you read a piece of news that makes you think twice. At WTOP, all reporters have to live by the rule of second sourcing all stories.

SIWJ visits so many news outlets in DC and I’ve noticed the one thing that binds them all together is the passion and dedication to journalism today. Jim summed it up great when he said, ” We work hard every minute of everyday, but we work hard because we love what we do.”

Who do you trust? Who would you vote for? (Obama photo: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. No, seriously. Thank you… Thank you. Madame Speaker Michnik, Vice President Gelb, members of SIWJ, distinguished blog readers, and fellow Americans. Our blog calendars and syllabus require us to, from time to time, give information on the state of the SIWJ union. It has been three full weeks since I took up my position as a student studying abroad in the nation’s capital. I was greeted by the harshness of winter, unfamiliar surroundings, tough opposition by the SIWJ female partisanship, and high expectations for change and self-improvement by not only Vice President Gelb and Madame Speaker Michnik, but also myself.

We were thrown into unknown territory attempting to figure out the business and technical aspects of journalism as well as trying to give a working definition of just what it is we’ve gotten ourselves into here. We were taught Final Cut Pro, iWeb, blogging, taking 35 sentences and turning it into 4 for television writing, and the fine art of hard news writing from the often mistaken yet still district legend and all around great man Bob Levey. We even had a chance to attend a lecture with Thomas Friedman and shortly thereafter I strangely have started to think more geostrategic, geoeconomic, capitalistic and patriotic. It seems as though I have finally become stronger on my convictions to change for the better.

This can be a daunting and overwhelming amount of information to take in and applied correctly for any student. These are truly tough times. And this was all before I even walked through my internship doors.

Fellow SIWJers: we must wage battle on two different fronts. We must face the perils of our internship on one end. And at the other we must face our fears of judgment put down on us by the program itself. But do not be afraid. Do not be intimidated by these fears. Accept that, as I have, that it’s our responsibility to embrace the challenges that face us and in doing so we will become better because of it. We must be the example that all aspire to be, no matter what battle we’re fighting day to day. Whether it’s being challenged by Bob Levey to think D.C. politics and journalism, learning new forms of media, or specific internship challenges, we must be strong. We must be that shining light of innovation, invention, and fortitude that illuminates the dark tunnel of journalism that lies ahead of us, not only for ourselves, but for future generations as well.

However, for all the learning and accomplishments felt during these first weeks, there has been just as many setbacks. From attempting to transcribe an inaudible interview recording for work and going through hours of footage at my own internship, to having Final Cut crash numerous times forcing me to start over again, to trouble with saving the iWeb site, there has been more than a few nights that had me banging my head against the wall. Simply put, there may always be ridiculous opposition that will try to stand in our way towards succeeding here. But we will not be deterred. No longer will we twiddle our thumbs mindlessly as the time runs swiftly into that good night. After being pushed into the deep-end week one with no hope of return, no matter the test, SIWJ members have persevered through the murky depths of journalism and come out stronger, better, and more united because of it. Giving up was not an option for our American forefathers and neither will it be for us.

Now, SIWJers, let’s clear something up. We all have different backgrounds. We all have different stories and beliefs. But there is one thing that has always tied us together: aspiration. We aspire to become better than we are now, to show that we are apt, capable, and motivated enough to impress but ultimately defeat VP Gelb’s rigorous program. Even though there is a strong female majority in the program, we (I) must not run for the hills. I will not be intimidated by partisan threats and bad short-term politics. I’m asking that when something goes wrong, the blame shouldn’t be placed on the shoulders of the easiest male scapegoat, but instead, all of ours, because let’s be honest, even Atlas got tired once in awhile. So I implore you members of the SIWJ program that in order for us to become a fabled “survivor” of this program we must put aside our genetic differences and work together to become the most celebrated group to graduate from the program since Washington himself.

After three long and tired weeks at SIWJ, I feel that I have learned and retained more knowledge than I had in any previous year at college. The challenges are difficult. The grading is harsh. The work hours are long. It is these times where we are tested most. When all we want to do is stop doing work for a second to rest, sleep, or simply go out for a drink; this is when we must show our resolve in the face of adversity. This is just the beginning, though. There are many more months to come with seemingly impossible tasks to accomplish. But I have never been more hopeful for our futures than I am right now. If we survived these first three weeks together with our wits and minds still in tact, then together, we have the resiliency to succeed.

I’m just going to safefully assume that that there was loud, raucous, often annoying applause after every sentence, possibly including some confirming headshakes from readers and VP Gelb during every great point, regardless of accuracy. For that, I thank you. Yes, thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good night D.C. blogosphere, and God bless the united peoples of SIWJ.

Note: CNN: no need for a fact check here. Seriously though, don’t fact check this. I’m watching you Wolf Blitzer.

Well, let me start by  saying hello.  Hello!

My name is Talia Ran.  I like long walks on the beach and candle lit dinners, my favorite colors are purple and green, and I dislike the sound of ice being chewed– it gives me the willies just thinking about it (Yes, ’the willies’ is a technical term).

Unlike my fellow SIWJers, I am no longer in school.  Instead, I am one of those recent graduates who, 2 years ago, had plans to go to law school and become a hot shot lawyer. Today, I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.  Despite this, I do take a little comfort in knowing I am not the only one with an uncertain future.  Luckily for me, I stumbled across this absolutely fantastic program through a web search of News and Writing Graduate Courses at George Washington University.

Each day with Andrea (the program assistant and adjunct) and Amos, the Director, brings a new adventure.  During our boot camp we had the pleasure of a personal walking tour around DC by THE Bob Levey of Washington Post fame and we met the amazing staff of The Georgetowner (which we will be working with throughout the semester).  It just gets better!  Tomorrow I will be starting my first day interning at Moment Magazine and I feel just like I did the first day of high school: “What should I wear?” “Will they like me?” ”Will I like them?” My nerves may bit a bit high, but I know it will be a fantastic experience that will give me the opportunities to learn and grow as a journalist.

Only time will tell how things work out, but I have high hopes.  I can already feel this is going to be one of those defining experiences.  I am so excited, I can’t wait!

Bob Levey and Students at a Writing Seminar

You may or may not know, but the first week of the Semester in Washington Journalism Program is always a whirlwind! Students arrive in DC, aclimate themselves to the city and try to get used to things they may not have a their home school (like a metro subway station or CVS Pharmacy’s on every corner!)

This spring, students were especially busy as they participated in a week-long bootcamp to prepare them for a semester of challenging internships in the media industry. Each day they worked on a different area of media communication, from writing exercises, to learning video software, an introduction to Twitter and how to use a Flip camera.

On Friday our guest lecturer, former Washington Post metro columnist Bob Levey, took students through an intense reporting seminar where they discussed the challenge of using images from the internet. What do you think? Should reporters be able to take photos from Twitter or Facebook accounts? What are the ethical ramifications behind doing that?

He finished up the day by taking students on a walking tour through DC to see exactly where news happens in this busy town.

Looking for some more photos from bootcamp? Take a look at the SIWJ Spring 2010 Flickr photos.

SIWJ Fall 2009

Looking back at the past few month, it’s hard to believe that the SIWJ program is over for me. Here, we learned what skills we had, what skills we could acquire, where we wanted to go, and ultimately who we are. From all the various media projects and boot camp sessions to the visits to major news operations got us ready for the world of journalism.

First SIWJ Project

Personally, this program was something that I had never experienced before. I know phrases like that are thrown around like a football, but SIWJ truly is a unique experience. Before I had gotten involved with this program, I had no real direction–no idea what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. This was the case before I opened my mailbox and saw a flyer that said I could come to D.C. to experience something I had never experienced before. Being a political junkie and a creative writing major, journalism in the political nexus of the nation seemed like a fun thing to try out– I had no idea what I  was in for.

Personal Haiku

Through my internship at Campaign and Elections magazine, I learned how to write better, do research, copy edit, collect information from interviews, and take better photos. Through SIWJ classes, I learned how to shoot and edit video, edit photos better, analyze media, participate in new media, do interviews, blog, and network with others in the industry. From all the experiences I have gone through this semster I have acquired the skills that are needed to become a great journalist. Not only have I developed as a professional, but as a person as well. People will tell you they’ve all had life changing moments, but even though it sounds cliche’, this program will change anyone’s life. Being part of a group of dedicated individuals who grew alongside me has put many things in perspective. Although I leave DC today, I will be back in the future, hopefully working alongside the same five interns I worked with during one of the longest semesters in my life.

SIWJ Fall 2009 Scrapbook

Cheers!

~Matt

They are the people who stand at the metro pass stations with that blank look on their face, like they are trying to read a foreign language. They are the people who clutch their purses as if every other passenger were a highly trained pickpocket. They stare at the metro map as if they are looking at ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. With every jerk and jolt you can see the glimmer of fear and uncertainty flash in their eyes. They miss their stops because they can’t understand the muted, mumbled gibberish that is coming from the conductor. Worst of all they commit the unpardonable sin of standing in the middle of the escalator, ergo stalling all of the grey suits who can not bear to lose those precious few seconds.

Even the metro attendants can spot them. Deborah Davis who has been working at the metro only a few months said, “They are the ones who don’t know which way to go even though it’s written right there on the signs. “ Her coworker chimed in, “ They da’ ones who mix up the red light and da’ green light when they trying to get in or out of da metro, red means ya can’t go!”

Alas, take heart you newbie’s there is hope. You too can conceal your un-familiarity; mask your fears and anxiety by absorbing a few simple tips for flawless metro travel.

• Start with the metro pass station. Quit trying to get more bang for your buck, and attempting to calculate to the nickel how much money you need to put on your pass. I know these are tough economic times, but trying to coordinate your stops and the different rates for peak hours is something even very few pros can do. Rule of thumb unless you are planning to ride the metro all day five dollars should suffice. So slap five dollars on there and gamble with your fate. If you are one of those who likes to air on the side of caution get yourself a day pass, but know that is a red flag sure sign of your inexperience.

Now you’ve got your pass, on to the map. There are five lines, all of which are named after colors. Don’t panic. I know there is some colorblind tourist out there thinking he’s doomed to a vacation filled with taxi fares. You can actually read all the names of the lines; you don’t have to simply rely on colors. Each line is labeled with the color. The direction the metro is going is indicated by the name of the stop that is the last stop on the line. Read the sign and get on the train that is labeled with the last stop on the line that will pass your destination. When it arrives board it. Double check the line color as it pulls in. Do this subtly or your inexperience will be blatant.

• Common courtesy, let the people get off before you barge on. Trust me there will be enough time. Pick your seat or find a bar/rail to hold on to. Metros are crowded, it is NOT weird to sit by a random stranger, just accept that your personal bubble will be invaded and move on. Also, that random stranger crowding your space is NOT trying to pickpocket you. What do you think this is, New York?

• If you are expecting a Walter Cronkite sounding voice to announce the specific stops over the loudspeaker thus daydreaming instead of counting stops, prepare to ride the metro all day. At best you will get a conductor who pronounces perhaps similar vowel sounds to those in your stop. Bottom line, pay attention and count your stops. This isn’t your safety patrol eighth grade school trip to the capitol. There is no parent/teacher chaperone; you are on your own.

• When the metro stops, you get to get off first. Exit. Find the nearest “up” escalator. At which point if you plan on standing and riding the escalator up get on the right side of the escalator. It’s just like a highway people. Slow traffic is on the right and passing on the left. Not such an outrageous concept after all.

• Lastly, the infamous exit gates. You know that little piece of paper you just spit your gum into? That was probably your metro pass, and yes, you need that. Peel that gum out and find the exit gate with a green arrow. Slide your pass through. Cross your fingers that you put enough money on there and then watch in amazement as the gates open. Pat yourself on the back. You survived the metro and better yet, if you followed this advice no one even had the inkling that you had no clue what you were doing. Congratulations.

When you are ready to look like a real expert and want to really blend in, you whip out your Ipod headphones. Whoa now. Don’t do anything crazy like actually listen to your music. That is going to cause you to lose your focus, thus breaking your concentration and making all your meticulous planning for naught. Merely wearing the headphones pretending to be listening to music will be enough to give off the tell tale signs of your expertise. Another idea is the fast pass. The fast pass is the metro equivalent of a black American express card. It shows you use the metro often and you’re big time in the metro world. You can purchase one of these cards at CVS and it’s like a debit card. Just put money on it and never again will you have to deal with the ever-confusing metro pass machines.

After reading this navigating the metro should be a piece of cake. As for you locals, you metro masters, bear with them. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and deep down in that blackened big city heart of yours you know that you were not born a metro master either.

Photos By: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/ / CC BY-ND 2.0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/ / CC BY 2.0

My sister at school in Wellesley, MA where food is always around...

D.C., eating, and I do not get along. Since September I have struggled to find a pattern that works for me (one that I can afford and will not make me morbidly obese). All my other schools (and I have attended a lot), have provided meal plans so students are not constantly paying out of pocket to feed themselves. That is the world I belong in.

I miss the days when I could stroll into a cafeteria with a squillion dining options on display. For some reason, it was always easy to turn down cheeseburgers in favor of salads when I knew they were always going to be available to me. I got into the habit of filling a Nalgene bottle full of iced coffee every time the caf opened and taking around 73547292 apples to eat later. I never went hungry, managed to stay skinny, and I had more money for Free People. Life was good.

Life took a nasty turn for the worse when I arrived in DC with very little money saved and the responsibility of paying for my food. I got into a horrible system of waiting until so famished that I’d buy everything in sight, making me both uncomfortably full and way broker. Grocery shopping was a nightmare because it entailed buying items with the intention of cooking. Cooking may as well be Chemistry class for me (i.e. impossible), but even if I did know how, my roommate and my kitchen supplies consists of two plates and two bowls.

I still have not found a system that works for me. Mostly, I live in fear of the next time I’ll get hungry. My roommate and I live for the days when family or friends come to visit because we know it means getting to eat properly. Having to provide my own food was a good experience, I suppose, I just really have got to get better at it. Or win the lottery.

Spotlight: Jim Brady, Former Executive Editor for washingtonpost.com

Working at TheWashingtonPost.com from 2004-2009, Jim talked about his experience working in a top newsroom during the boom of the digital era. He talked about how the role of the reporter changed over those five years and that reporters used to have simple job. “They’d write articles, hand them over to me and then go home.” Now, he said you have to do more. Reporters are actively trying to get people to read their stuff and as a reporter you need be active and find readers.

Jim also talked about the role of bloggers in the journalism field, a popular topic among media gurus today. To him, the future is with niche content. He believes that hopefully niche blogs will start to find a way to generate profit.

Oh and don’t worry, he talked about Twitter too. “I was really anti-Twitter when it started. But, I’m getting used to it now.”

Advice

Brady said you don’t have to take the traditional path to get the job of your dreams.  If you want to work in politics or land a job writing for the White House you can do that- if you are passionate about it and have good writing skills, you can do it!

Over the past week, he told us he had visited three different college classrooms and asked all the same question: “Does anyone subscribe to a daily newspaper?” and not one person, including students in our class, raised a hand. What do you think about that? do you subscribe to a news paper? How do you think this is effective the news industry?

Tell us your thoughts.

Photos By: http://www.flickr.com/photos/biblicone/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

One of the most important aspects of having an internship and taking a first step into the professional world is networking. When it comes to getting a job, or getting sources and information, networking is something all professionals (especially journalists) have to do. This is a skill not easily taught, usually it comes naturally, but it can be learned.

First and foremost, you have to deal with any social awkwardness you might have. If you are unsure of how to talk to an individual, you can take the Larry King approach and ask questions pertaining to their field. Believe it or not, people usually like to talk about their work. Body language is also an important thing to be conscious about: have a firm handshake, try not to yawn, keep your eyebrows in an elevated position, try not to cross your arms, and other body language techniques.

Asking for business cards is always a must. Whether or not the contact has one is irrelevant– an individual’s email can easily be found on their company website, etc.– but the act of asking for a card will help the other person remember you. Once you have the contact information, it is best to send the person a response, usually by email, thanking them for coming to an event or speaking with you. It is also helpful to remember what the person said, and allude to a previous conversation you had with the contact.

Lastly, you should not try to network with someone who you have nothing in common with. Sure, there are people who will try to network with someone who they have no real interest in, but it will be obvious to the other party that you are merely using them for career advancements. If you network, do it with people you have a certain amount of connection with– they don’t have to be your best friend, but there must be some semblance of chemistry. Keeping up the contact past the initial, first response is crucial, and if you do not have anything interesting to share or talk about with the contact, then the relationship will wither away. Besides the points made earlier, the best way to network is to be friendly, open-minded, and to have an easy smile.

Photo By: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ooohoooh/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0