By Gavahnya Felts
KING 5 was one of those experiences I knew I was going to have some enjoyment in, but I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I anticipated. We went right after the Pike Food Tour so I was already in good spirits after enjoying a variety of different foods from restaurants local to the Seattle area. The King 5 campus was beautiful, and we were able to tour the majority of it. I had the opportunity to look at multiple newsrooms, editing rooms, conference rooms, and break areas, and seeing the spaces where journalists and producers gather to brainstorm and discuss stories provided valuable insights into the behind-the-scenes process of news production. It gave me ideas on what I could do with my film major.
After our tour, we talked to Meg Thalhimer, who gave us some insights into how News broadcasting worked. I also gained insights into how her process was to get to the position she was in. It was not a straight shot; she was denied many jobs and had to work hard. She wasn’t offered these positions on straight luck but rather on improving and learning new skills. It gave me insights into what I would have to do if I decided to go this route in my career. Her story was important to me, as it showed how the journalism industry isn’t about luck but perseverance, continuous improvement, and the willingness to adapt and learn new skills.
After a wonderful discussion with Meg, we moved to a conference room where we talked to both Julie Wolfe and Roberta Romero, where we gained more knowledge about the inner workings of the journalism industry. Roberta is the executive producer of “Facing Race” at KING 5 News which focuses on telling stories of minorities and marginalized communities throughout the Seattle area. I was very drawn to this because while researching the demographics of Seattle, it is about 62% white. Telling stories about non-majority communities is important when the racial demographics of a place is not equal. Julie and Roberta shared valuable insights into the importance of representation in journalism and the responsibility of media organizations to reflect the full spectrum of experiences within their coverage. Along with telling stories within the Seattle community, they also touched on telling stories of their own minority workers. They showed us a well-done video of their Hispanic workers, talking about their experiences with their identity in aspects related to their career and social aspects of their life.
Comments