I began my career at the age of 17 in 1956. The assignment was to cover a rugby match involving Saracens & Wasps in London and my new boss at Hayter's Agency sent it over to be published in The Times. Working 7 days a week, loving every minute, I never looked back. I know full well how totally different life is now but it does not not change my opinion of the best way to become a journalist. Get out and do it.
Lauren, if you would like to read more about how one young man became a journalist, my autobiography The Roving Eye - A Reporter's Love Affair with Paris, Politics & Sport goes through the detail of my next job - joining the London Evening Standard whose brilliant editor was Charles Wintour, Anna's father.
This pulls me back to my own days in journalism school. It was my senior year and I had been offered a fantastic position right out of the gate. I also had a 2-year-old at home and wanted more kids. After much consideration, I decided to turn the offer down. When he found out, the dean pulled me into his office and proceeded to berate me for my decision. “What a waste of talent! Why did you even get a degree if you’re not going to use it?!” I remember thinking how sad it was that he felt getting an education was a waste unless you used it for a paycheck. At some point, I’d love to write down how many ways I’ve used that degree over the years both for profit and not. Hmmm… perhaps a post at some point. Thanks for getting me thinking.
Journalism certainly changed after 9/11, along with almost everything else. We were shocked that our homeland could be attacked, how vulnerable we are. It was also the last time we were united as a country.
This is my own speculation, but I think people turned towards the news with a different need. Where there used to be a designated time for the news, 6:30 pm I think, now people wanted non-stop news. There might not have been much new information, but people turned to television rather than print for instant updates. The in-depth coverage of the weekly news magazine, Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report were hopeless outdated by the time they arrived at your house. Newspapers had a shorter time lag, but most people now know most of the major stories by the time they open their papers. And technology has advanced such that we now know the news as it happens. Personally, I recall sitting in my synagogue having my phone buzz and buzz and buzz. I looked to see that there was an active shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. In real time. Maybe we were better off before, waiting to learn the news at 6:30 pm, but I don't think we are going back.
I began my career at the age of 17 in 1956. The assignment was to cover a rugby match involving Saracens & Wasps in London and my new boss at Hayter's Agency sent it over to be published in The Times. Working 7 days a week, loving every minute, I never looked back. I know full well how totally different life is now but it does not not change my opinion of the best way to become a journalist. Get out and do it.
Lauren, if you would like to read more about how one young man became a journalist, my autobiography The Roving Eye - A Reporter's Love Affair with Paris, Politics & Sport goes through the detail of my next job - joining the London Evening Standard whose brilliant editor was Charles Wintour, Anna's father.
This pulls me back to my own days in journalism school. It was my senior year and I had been offered a fantastic position right out of the gate. I also had a 2-year-old at home and wanted more kids. After much consideration, I decided to turn the offer down. When he found out, the dean pulled me into his office and proceeded to berate me for my decision. “What a waste of talent! Why did you even get a degree if you’re not going to use it?!” I remember thinking how sad it was that he felt getting an education was a waste unless you used it for a paycheck. At some point, I’d love to write down how many ways I’ve used that degree over the years both for profit and not. Hmmm… perhaps a post at some point. Thanks for getting me thinking.
Journalism certainly changed after 9/11, along with almost everything else. We were shocked that our homeland could be attacked, how vulnerable we are. It was also the last time we were united as a country.
This is my own speculation, but I think people turned towards the news with a different need. Where there used to be a designated time for the news, 6:30 pm I think, now people wanted non-stop news. There might not have been much new information, but people turned to television rather than print for instant updates. The in-depth coverage of the weekly news magazine, Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report were hopeless outdated by the time they arrived at your house. Newspapers had a shorter time lag, but most people now know most of the major stories by the time they open their papers. And technology has advanced such that we now know the news as it happens. Personally, I recall sitting in my synagogue having my phone buzz and buzz and buzz. I looked to see that there was an active shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. In real time. Maybe we were better off before, waiting to learn the news at 6:30 pm, but I don't think we are going back.