Lauren Shares Joys of Working in a Newsroom
After working for hospitals writing press releases, newsletters,
and scheduling events in my safe little office space, having a career at a
‘real’ television station was a total rush! It’s difficult not to get excited around a
newsroom—stress and tension is constant—police scanners blaring, the phones
ringing, the constant hum of printers and fax machines.
What rose above all of the background noise, though, was the
sound and activity of the people who work there. The staff I was fortunate
enough to get to know are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. We
were one very dysfunctional, loud family!
News Director – The boss, the main force driving the stories.
The news director does the hiring, firing, discipline, and usually hands out
praise, albeit sparingly. My second news director, a brilliant, intuitive
newsperson, had the keen ability to make at least one reporter burst into tears
every morning.
Anchors – These men and women have likely worked long and hard
to get where they are. Being an anchor is highly coveted and prestigious, but
also comes with responsibility. Being the “face” of the television station
means public appearances, mentoring young reporters, and getting out in the
community for special events. It also meant that sometimes people would stop
you in a restaurant to chat about a story, ask for an autograph, or say hello.
In a small town or city, you quickly understood that being one of the main
anchors at a TV station meant no privacy when out in public! In the studio and
in the newsroom, they were just normal people. One of the most talented anchors
I worked with used to break into “Who Let the Dogs Out?” whenever he got into
the mood.
Photogs – The guys and gals who
lugged the cameras and equipment around and drove the news vans were worth ten
times their weight in gold! I learned so much from one cameraman, who took the
time to explain why it was crucial to capture “natsound” (or natural sound)
while shooting a story and how to match up the words of your story with video.
I have distinct memories of my friend and co-worker running down the street
after an ambulance to get video, coming back from a fire covered with soot and
smelling like smoke, and tromping into the newsroom covered with six inches of
snow head to foot—all to deliver a great story for viewers.
Lauren Clark’s contact information:
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