14 Responses

  1. Jeanne at |

    Have you experienced any time that social media impeded the way news is delivered, like only having 140 characters? Since you see social media as an extension of news, why not a journalism degree?

    Reply
    1. Angela L Smith at |

      Hi Jeanne,

      One of the biggest obstacles we are currently facing in social media, espcially from a journalistic point of view, is misinformation and disinformation (oftentimes this comes in the comments on Facebook and in our day-to-day reporting). People want to dismiss the facts even when we provide information from credible sources. It can be tough as a journalist because our goal to be fair and balanced, provide accurate and unbiased information and hold the powerful accountable.

      As for Twitter, I’m glad we get 240 characters it makes providing a complete thought in tweet easier.

      Reply
  2. jpumphrey at |

    Hello Angela I want to thank you for your time to meet with us and discussing your career. I enjoyed hearing about your job and your take on how social media has changed the news world. My first question is what obstacles have you been going through due to Covid-19? My second question is that how do you choose which stories to publish and talk about because there are so many breaking stories?

    Reply
    1. Angela L Smith at |

      COVID-19 presented some challenges, but it also made us flexible when it comes to how we present the news and do our daily jobs. About 75% of our newsroom was moved home by April of 2020. We never thought we could produce a show remotely, with only two producers and an anchor, but we did it! We knew we had to make it work.

      Producers were given laptops to use at home and they were able to remote-in to their desktops back at the station. Reporters worked from home and several interviews early on were done via FaceTime, Skype (which we’ve used in the past) and now Zoom. We had one photograph who bought a bunch of brooms and created boom sticks so MMJs (multi-media journalists) could conduct interviews without getting too close to people. Anchors and meterologists who were at the station set up “home studios” complete with lighting and prompters.

      I would say the main challenge we faced was making sure everyone could perform their jobs while remaining safe. Reporters and photographers were reminded to avoid crowds when they could, stay outside, wear masks and social distance. This has now become the norm.

      Online, as I mentioned in a post above, we faced critcism from people who didn’t think COVID-19 was real or as severe as it was being projected. They politicized mask wearing and still today, they question numbers (cases/deaths/hospitalizations) when provided on the state or local level.

      There is such a thing as conspiracy theorists and the pandemic has brought it out in a lot of people. Battling the disinformation spread online about the pandemic and trying to keep the faces of real people affected by COVID-19 has been trying. Many people have found themselves jobless, and oftentimes hopeless, we want to put a face to the numbers to let others know — medically and economically, this is real.

      As to you second question, how do we choose what stories to publish? These news values help us judge how and when stories need to be published:

      1. Timeliness. Is it timely?
      2. Impact. Who does it affect and why?
      3. Proximity. Is it local?
      4. Human Interest. How can we personalize it?
      5. Enterprise. Is it new and different? Is it a story that hasen’t been told?

      When we can answer these questions, it helps us priotize what stories we need to tackle first.

      Reply
      1. Dr. Loggins at |

        Thanks, for promoting those basic news values, Angela!

        I actually had never heard of them formally until I got my master’s in Communication. I don’t recall discussing them for my undergraduate degree in TV Production. However, when I saw them in grad school, I thought — well of course!

        On the other hand, it’s also interesting to see how the terms change just a little depending upon who you talk to or what text you read. Whether these students use Enterprise, which is not in our text, or use Currency, which is, it’s important to know that there are specific things that make a story newsworthy. These values can help students figure out newsworthiness a little more quickly. 😀

        Everything I’ve ever seen covered the first four values you mention. And, one text suggested that timeliness and proximity are always important to consider in every story. Some of the others, whether you call it Enterprise, Currency, or Prominance, still get to the same basic ideas.

        Reply
  3. Jace Armstrong at |

    Angela,

    Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us!

    What is your favorite part of your job? I understand there is a lot that goes into the work you do, but is there a specific aspect you enjoy most?

    Also, do you see yourself working for a bigger news organization in the future? More on the national level like NBC, CNN, FOX, etc.

    Reply
  4. Angela L Smith at |

    Hi Jace!

    There are two things I like most about my job: 1) telling good stories and 2) covering breaking news.

    It doesn’t always have to be a feel-good story, although, I love those too, but telling a good story that you know you’ve researched, worked hard on and really helped someone. I love that feeling.

    The adrenaline kicks in when it comes to breaking news. Getting people out the door, gathering information, getting on first, etc. Some stories are better than others. Sad stories, particulary, when someone gets hurt are the hardest. But at the end of the day, it’s all a part of the life of a journalist.

    As for network news, it has its niche, just like local news. From the experience perspective, I would love to do it – maybe one day. But I do appreciate the quality and impact of sharing local stories.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Pemberton at |

      Hi Angela. In your opinion how important is small time grassroots localized journalism and why do you feel the way you do about it?

      As you stated in a previous answer one of your challenges with social media are conspiracy theories and misinformation. I to have noticed this and contribute it to a lack of critical thinking skills. Good and honest journalism can help reduce the spread of misinformation on social media. My question is, do you think that in our current social media world that journalism classes should be a higher priority in middle and high school education curriculums?

      Reply
      1. Angela Smith at |

        Good morning, Chris!

        Local journalism is always a necessity. It’s like local politics. What happens where you live is what affects you the most. Local news papers, local television stations and even local radio stations help keep us informed about what is going on around us. National news outlets will help keep us informed about what is happening in Washington, other parts of the country and the world. Of course, social media and the internet have made it a little easier to gather that information on our own as well.

        When we lose local news, we lose the ability to hold the people who are making the decisions that directly impact us accountable. We lose the opportunity to tell our own stories (have you ever seen a nationally covered story on Kansas branded as Kansas City or Wichita, and it’s nowhre near either?). We lose the opportunity of knowing about our own communities unless we’re ultra-connected. Even with the access to so much information having local journalists investigate and flush-out a story, break it down and tell us how and why we’re being impacted will always matter.

        As for journalism classes in high school and middle school, fact-checking and finding credible sources have always been important, hence the reason you cite your sources and not use Wikipedia to write a research paper. Now more than ever we have to let students know where they can find credible sites. Site blockers filters out harmful sites on their school-issued devices. At home looking for domain suffixes such as .gov, .org. or .edu can help ad validity to a site. Cross-referencing any information (who’s sharing it and is the information the same) can help to determine if the information is verified. Lastly, find the original source. Several sites today will post on information from other sites. Find the original story or original source of the information and you will be able to give more weight to its credibility.

        Reply
  5. ngtruan at |

    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us, Angela!

    I agree that misinformation has really been stirring the pot with many people. Polarization is a growing issue in society today, so I was curious if there are certain precautions you take to ensure the information you present is accurate?

    Also, as student pursuing a degree in Information Networking & Media Production, I would like to know how you feel about the regulation of social media and its effects on journalism?

    Reply
  6. hlu13 at |

    Hi Angela, The current epidemic has greatly restricted the work of journalists, especially recently When I was helping a film and television production major graduate to shoot his graduation work, he literally could not find actors willing to appear on the screen. In connection with my previous experience of interviewing others, I would like to ask you if there are any good ways to make someone who does not know you happy to be interviewed by you, especially during the epidemic, what kind of actions will ease their concerns so as to cooperate with my interview and filming.
    I am a foreign student. I hope you spare with my poor grammar. Thank you!

    Reply
  7. kkbrown4 at |

    Thank you for taking the time to talk to us in class! It was really interesting to hear about the work you do in Wichita. I know that COVID-19 has presented a lot of obstacles in terms of journalism in the last few months. Do you think that some aspects of the job will go back to normal after the virus? Do you think that the virus has changed the way we deliver news long-term?

    Reply

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