Telling The Story

When I started this podcast nine years ago, I assumed at some point I would interview Greg Bledsoe. At the time he was the reigning two-time NPPA national Solo Video Journalist of the Year. He was one of the most talented photojournalists in the country AND one of the most talented writers in the country. → The post PODCAST #86: Greg Bledsoe, solo video journalist, on the Family Geography Project appeared first on Telling The Story.

Last spring, when so many of us were frightened and nervous at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world of journalism and the world as a whole felt chaotic and upended, Reshma Kirpalani leaned in. She cold-emailed a hospital group in south Florida to see if she could obtain access to its COVID unit, through videos shot by its employees. She received that access and embarked on a half-hour documentary ... that ultimately turned into five half-hours of an episodic series. She convinced her bosses at the Miami Herald and its parent company, McClatchy, to enable her to focus entirely on this project. And just as she was about to start putting it together, Kirpalani learned she had been laid off. McClatchy decided to eliminate Kirpalani's video team. For Kirpalani, it meant the end of not only regular paychecks but also the documentary she had poured nine months into producing. Or, at least, it would have meant the end ... if she hadn't fought to finish it. Kirpalani convinced her bosses to let her stay on for three more months. In that time, she produced an unforgettable and necessary document of the early stages of the pandemic - and how those grueling weeks impacted the lives of the health care workers who couldn't avoid it. The project, titled "Inside the COVID Unit," can now be seen on miamiherald.com. And it's riveting. I've watched - and produced - numerous stories on the pandemic, but few if any moved me like this series. It puts on full display the initial chaos of those early months, which weighs over every impossible decision faced by the health care workers profiled here. Kirpalani's commitment shows throughout. She captures moments that are equally brutal, frustrating, raw, and heartbreaking. She has an intuitive sense of narrative and context. More importantly, she does it all with extraordinary empathy - the quality that most enables this series to stand out. Kirpalani is my guest on Episode 85 of the Telling the Story podcast. When I listened back to this interview, I immediately wanted to hoist my camera and tell a meaningful story. I'm in awe of storytellers like Kirpalani who embrace their work with such devotion. It's what I seek in my own stories, and it's what I appreciate in the journalists I admire most. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #85: Reshma Kirpalani, documentarian, “Inside the COVID Unit” appeared first on Telling The Story.

I've done 83 episodes of the Telling the Story podcast and, in the process, interviewed nearly as many talented storytellers and journalists. Episode 84 is different. This time, I interviewed someone on the other side of the camera - someone who was the subject on an in-depth story I produced late last fall. Her name is Emily Chan. She's the co-owner of JenChan's restaurant in Atlanta. I did a five-minute story about the restaurant last year, spotlighting hers to represent the challenges faced by so many in that industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. I spent six shoots in two weeks with Chan, and I was able to tell a compelling, all-encompassing story as a result. Last month I learned the story had won an NPPA Best of Photojournalism award for Hard Video Essay. When I posted about it on Facebook, Chan responded with a lengthy comment that included the following sentences: "This interview still haunts us...and not in a negative way; it simply captured our vulnerability - which is truly every small business owner's vulnerability during this past year. I went back and watched it last week and it was painful; it still is. We are still fighting week to week and we still see the light at the end of this tunnel. Thank you for sharing our story so thoughtfully and carefully." We shouldn't need reminders of how our stories impact those we interview, but this was a big one. I decided it could be a subject of further exploration. Chan is my guest on Episode 84 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #84: Emily Chan, restaurant owner, on being the subject of a story appeared first on Telling The Story.

On his first day covering Twin Cities protests after the death of George Floyd, photographer Ed Ou briefly became the news. Ou says he was set up with a group of journalists as curfew hit. He says state troopers fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and concussion grenades. Ou was hit in the head and received four stitches in the hospital. That night, he still filed a report for NBC News. And days later, after many journalists had left, Ou found a story unlike any I've seen from that time. Earlier this month, NBC News released online Ou's half-hour documentary, "The Intersection: Fatherhood at the Heart of George Floyd Square." It's a beautiful work of journalism, and frankly, the less I say beforehand, the better. But it's embedded right here: It's the latest gem in a spectacular career that has taken Ou to multiple continents and earned him national honors. Ou is my guest on Episode 83 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #83: Ed Ou, visual journalist, on finding detail in documentary appeared first on Telling The Story.

Quick confession: I honestly don't remember when I first heard about Lynsey Weatherspoon. It might have been last spring, when one of her photos of the George Floyd protests in Atlanta went viral. It might have been in the fall, when she popped up taking portraits of major political candidates across Georgia. I'm not sure how she came into my orbit, but I'm glad she did. I've been inspired ever since. In this past year, Weatherspoon has documented some of the most important moments and people in Atlanta and America. She took what the Guardian called one of "the best photographs of 2020," and she contributed to some of the most esteemed media outlets in the country. All the while, she has remained someone who in her words is "called upon to capture heritage and history in real time." The third word of her bio is the hashtag #queerblackgirl, and she makes sure to amplify voices of each of those communities. She operates with intention, both in her assignments and with the impact she looks to make on the world. Weatherspoon is my guest on Episode 82 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #82: Lynsey Weatherspoon, photojournalist, on capturing heritage and history appeared first on Telling The Story.

After conducting this interview - and then listening back to it - I felt fired up to go out and tell a story. I wanted to pick up my camera, put on an N95, get in my car, and do something great. That's the result of 45 minutes chatting with Tomas Hoppough. He's a solo video journalist with Scripps National, but that hardly describes the variety and quality of his work. He travels roughly every other week, mostly alone, with mirrorless cameras and lenses and the goal of two longform stories per trip. He succeeds in that goal, and then some. He produces docu-style pieces that are vivid in both characters and aesthetics. Tomas is my guest on Episode 81 of the Telling the Story podcast. In the podcast, I mention several of Tomas' stories. Check them out here: Rising in Minneapolis: a powerful series of pieces with photojournalist Drew Snadecki in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd Guns Down, Gloves Up: a half-hour special turned in less than two weeks after a powerful program in Virginia → The post PODCAST EPISODE #81: Tomas Hoppough, solo video journalist, Scripps National appeared first on Telling The Story.

There’s a line I sometimes recite when I feel I’ve reached a professional roadblock. It’s a punchline from an eighth-season episode of Seinfeld, where George Costanza is trying to spin his meager life triumphs amid countless failures into a grand success story. “You know,” he says, “if you take everything I’ve accomplished in my entire life and condense it down into one day … it looks decent!” When I watched two decades ago, I laughed with everyone else. We’re supposed to laugh at George. The line is meant to mock him. But these days, it’s become somewhat of a mantra, a reminder of the power of the big picture. When I feel stagnant in my career, I reflect on what I’ve accomplished and discover a lengthier list than I realized. When I’m shooting a story and don’t feel like I’m capturing what I need, I aim to stay focused and remember I might feel differently by day’s end. In the moment, I often dwell on mistakes and failures. In the aggregate, I see a career that, condensed into a few paragraphs, looks decent. And in 2020, when limitations and frustrations loomed over every day, I leaned on George’s line – or, at least, the optimism within it – to push through. → The post Finding the power of the big picture in the pandemic grind appeared first on Telling The Story.

The "origin story" is a superhero movie staple: how one everyday individual discovered extraordinary powers and realized her or his destiny of defending the city, country, world, or galaxy. In the journalism world, Tiffany Liou has one of the most inspiring origin stories you'll hear. She didn't go in J-school. She took a job in marketing. But she felt a pull towards news. She picked up an internship at a local affiliate but never quit her day job. She did both, overnighting as an assignment editor on the other side of the Bay Area. Eventually, she left the West Coast for a producer/MMJ position in West Monroe, Louisiana. That's how she started. Now she's an accomplished storyteller at one of the top storytelling stations in the country, WFAA-TV in Dallas. Liou is my guest on Episode 79 of the Telling the Story podcast. In this episode, we discuss Liou's origins in the field, but we mostly dive into her life today: as a solo video journalist during a global pandemic. It's changed and challenged all of us. Liou's perspective is one many will understand. She is also one of 16 interviews for The Solo Video Journalist, 2nd Edition, my updated how-to book for MMJs that was just published and is available for purchase. I finished the book just before COVID-19 took over our lives, but its core techniques and lessons remain relevant and even critical in our current world. Being a solo video journalist means living in a continual state of adaptation, and this is no different. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #79: Tiffany Liou, solo video journalist, WFAA-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

The first time I met Neima Abdulahi, it was her first week at our station, WXIA-TV in Atlanta, and I was asked if she could shadow me for a day. But I quickly learned: Abdulahi is nobody's shadow. She grew up in Atlanta and returned professionally three years out of school. As a one-woman crew, she turned daily stories like everyone else, but she kept her eye on a grander goal: becoming a voice for the city she loved, the music she embraced, and the many cultures she represented. She produced a half-hour special about the Atlanta hip-hop scene. She did a longform story about Migos. She looked back with relentless reports on the infamous Atlanta child murders of 1979-81. This summer, she provided some of the most thoughtful and textured coverage of the death of civil rights icon John Lewis. Abdulahi is an example on how to develop and amplify your voice. But she hasn't just done so on-air. She has used that momentum to build up an online following, specifically on Instagram, that has allowed her to go part-time at WXIA while freelancing at places like VIBE Magazine. She approaches social media with a marketer's mentality and a willingness to experiment and adapt to the demands of her audience. She is my guest on Episode 78 of the Telling the Story podcast. I've been a huge fan of Abdulahi for a long time, and I appreciated her taking the time to share her story. I'm also excited that she's among the MMJs I interviewed for my new book, The Solo Video Journalist, 2nd Edition, which is now available for purchase. Both the podcast and the book are worth your time. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #78: Neima Abdulahi, culture reporter, WXIA-TV & more appeared first on Telling The Story.

I think many of us are reckoning with our roles as journalists - and questioning some of the supposed set-in-stone practices of the profession. We're thinking more about representation, and we're examining where we fall short as both individuals and outlets in covering the communities we serve. I like to think I've been on a constant path of reckoning in this area for many years. I continue to evolve, and so does the world - and the world of journalism. I try to use this space - the blog and podcast - to bring discussion and conversation where it might not always exist. I found a thoughtful conversation partner in Kainaz Amaria. She's the visuals editor at Vox, and she's the 2020 recipient of the NPPA's John Long Ethics Award, given to "an individual who has, through his or her efforts, upheld, shaped, and promoted ethical behavior in all forms of visual journalism." She works diligently to promote representation in both the stories she oversees and the journalism circles in which she runs. Amaria is my guest on Episode 77 of the Telling the Story podcast. She is also a speaker at the upcoming NPPA Virtual Video Storytelling Workshop, taking place August 7 & 8 online. I'm directing the workshop and am thrilled to bring on two dozen talented journalists to present about topics from COVID-19 to digital dominance. Amaria is one of three panelists speaking about representation in storytelling. Sign up now, and get ready to be inspired. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #77: Kainaz Amaria, visuals editor, Vox appeared first on Telling The Story.

For five months, the Telling the Story podcast has been delayed by current events - both external in the world (COVID-19) and internal in my life (the arrival of my second daughter!). But it returns now - and with an all-star guest. Chris Hansen is a senior photojournalist at KUSA-TV. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a standard-setter in finding beautiful, innovative, and thoughtful ways of shooting and editing stories. Since the pandemic - with numerous restrictions on where he can shoot video and how he can conduct interviews - Hansen has found new ways to persevere. Take this story, where he interviewed neighborhood residents on their front lawns with the help of their cell phones. Or this one, where he used the drone to capture and illustrate the emptiness of Denver's streets during a stay-at-home order: Hansen is my guest on Episode #76 of the Telling the Story podcast. He is also a speaker at the upcoming NPPA Virtual Video Storytelling Workshop, taking place August 7 & 8 online. I'm directing the workshop and am thrilled to bring on two dozen talented journalists to present about topics from COVID-19 to digital dominance. Sign up now, and get ready to be inspired. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #76: Chris Hansen, senior photojournalist, KUSA-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Best Documentary. Best National Feature Documentary. Best Minnesota Made Documentary. Audience Award. Audience Choice. Best Production Design. Best Director. Film festivals nationwide last year piled accolades on "Love Them First: Lessons From Lucy Laney Elementary," a feature-length documentary produced primarily by two journalists from one Twin Cities TV station. Lindsey Seavert and Ben Garvin had each worked at KARE-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul for several years when they embarked on a series of stories about a local elementary school. That series quickly became the foundation for a documentary, and that documentary has since left an extraordinary mark on the education world. Its main character, Lucy Laney principal Mauri Melander Friestleben, has even appeared on the Today Show. You can watch "Love Them First" right here. Seavert and Garvin are my guests on Episode 75 of the Telling the Story podcast. "With a flicker and another flicker, you can set the world on fire and create systemic change," Seavert told me. "That's really my hope: that we've sparked a national conversation about how we measure children." They've sparked it. And last month, Seavert and Garvin were honored at Columbia University with a DuPont Award - or, as one colleague of mine called it, "the Pulitzer of video." → The post PODCAST EPISODE #75: Lindsey Seavert & Ben Garvin, “Love Them First” appeared first on Telling The Story.

The most powerful 60 minutes I watched last year came from two storytellers at their best. John Sharify has won umpteen awards through a reporting career that has spanned decades. Joseph Huerta is assembling an equally impressive resume as a photojournalist, now at WFAA-TV in Dallas. Last year, for their final story together at KING-TV in Seattle, Sharify and Huerta produced an hour-long documentary about a man named Bob. That man, 75 years old and diagnosed with terminal cancer, had chosen to end his life. Bob Fuller planned to utilize Washington's Death with Dignity Act to request a lethal dose of medication on a date of his choosing. Several months before that date, Fuller reached out to Sharify to see if his story was worthy of being told. Sharify knew he wanted to tell it. He teamed with Huerta to produce "Bob's Choice," which is available in full on YouTube. It is stirring, touching, moving, and just about every other emotional adjective you can name. It is also musical, downright funny at times, and a thorough look at a difficult subject. Sharify and Huerta are my guests on Episode #74 of the Telling the Story podcast. This is among the longest episodes I've done. That's partly because of having multiple guests, but it's mainly because this subject cannot be rushed. Sharify and Huerta discuss their many storytelling decisions on "Bob's Choice," but they also open up about their own emotional journeys and the experience of watching someone voluntarily - but peacefully among family and friends - take his own life. The discussion is heavy, but it's worth it. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #74: John Sharify & Joseph Huerta, “Bob’s Choice” appeared first on Telling The Story.

Most of my guests on this podcast are in local news, because most of my audience are reporters, photojournalists, and solo video journalists in local news. But I was reminded again watching the winners of this year's National Edward R. Murrow awards about the fascinating, compelling work on the digital front. How does that work come about? Perhaps it comes from a side of the industry that had to re-examine its definitions of storytelling. It's so important to see how the standards have evolved for audiences who don't distinguish between the types of content they receive. Solana Pyne is setting those standards. Her work with the Quartz video team employs many of the tactics that traditional storytellers embrace, but she doesn't stop there. Her team produces work that bends boundaries but brings journalistic chops. Last month, their joint production with Retro Report about the future of gaming - received a National Murrow award. Pyne is my guest on Episode #73 of the Telling the Story podcast. "It's easy to presume your audience will be with you," said Pyne, among other great words of advice, "so being forced to figure out how to capture people's attentions really quickly is a good thing." → The post PODCAST EPISODE #73: Solana Pyne, executive producer, Quartz appeared first on Telling The Story.

I think very hard about who to ask as my guest on the Telling the Story podcast, but in recent years I've developed a clear litmus test: Has this person found a passion within this profession? Look through my past few interviews, and you'll find a series of journalists who understand what they love about storytelling - and have made conscious decisions to steer their careers toward that love. Forrest Sanders carves out time on his days off to produce the kinds of memorable features that garner national honors. Adrienne Broaddus leads with faith and calls herself a "hope dealer." Olivia Loomis Merrion and Emily Kassie are innovators and documentarians who find causes worth covering. Kristin Dickerson has carved her own fascinating path. She's currently an anchor/reporter at the NBC affiliate in Dallas, but she's also an Emmy- and Murrow-winning storyteller who invested in her own DSLR camera and shoots her own stories. (The above photo is with the Gracie Award, which she won in 2018.) Starting in August, her path swings toward a new journey: Dickerson and her husband are quitting their jobs to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain, visit Israel and India, and bring cameras for the whole trip. Their goal? Produce a project about faith. It's an appropriate subject for Dickerson. This kind of decision requires faith. And her journey to it is powerful ... and best told by her. Dickerson is my guest on Episode #72 of the Telling the Story podcast. I won't give much away, but I will say that Dickerson provides one of the most open, heartfelt interviews I've had on this podcast. I greatly admire her, even if I can't see myself taking such a seismic leap. As we discuss in the podcast, any journalist can find ways to take their own leaps - seismic or otherwise - within the confines of one's life and job. There's always room to push toward your passion. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #72: Kristin Dickerson, anchor/reporter, KXAS-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

If only Sam Raimi were on social media. Then perhaps the acclaimed director of The Evil Dead, A Simple Plan, and the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man series would learn of how one of his earliest movies influenced one of today's most talented journalists. Forrest Sanders watched The Evil Dead as a student and became enamored with Raimi's shot composition and pacing. He developed a passion for shooting and editing that evolved into a career as a solo video journalist. Today Sanders has his own honors: numerous Emmys, two new regional Edward R. Murrow awards won last week, and a variety of accolades from the NPPA. This past year he was named its National Solo Video Journalist of the Year. Sanders is my guest on Episode #71 of the Telling the Story podcast. I loved this conversation. Sanders has quickly become a leader in the storytelling community, and he speaks with both introspection and clarity of purpose. We chatted about the power of early influences, the need to fuel your passions, and the way to carve your own path in a newsroom where that might seem difficult. And yes, we discussed Mr. Raimi (and Brian DePalma too!) for several enlightening minutes. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #71: Forrest Sanders, solo video journalist, WSMV-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

I began to nice it sometime in the last few years. New reporters or interns would arrive at WXIA-TV in Atlanta, meet me, and ask how long I'd been with the station. "I'm going on nine years." Eyes would widen, followed by a six-letter word that was either being used as a question or a comment: "Really ..." I immediately felt the need to defend myself. These days, having reached ten years, I still occasionally get the impulse. But whenever I do, I come back to a fundamental truism of my outlook about my job: I just want to keep growing. Weeks like this one remind me how much. On Tuesday, my work received four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. I had won Murrows before but never more than one in a given year. These stories reminded me how much I've grown since I arrived in Atlanta ten years ago. I share similar perspective on Episode #70 of the Telling the Story podcast. This is a non-traditional episode, featuring the reading of a recent blog post instead of a longform interview with a journalist or storyteller. Those episodes will resume soon, but I wanted to use this one to spotlight the growth we all hope to achieve in this industry. I hope you enjoy. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #70: Reflecting on ten years at one station in Atlanta appeared first on Telling The Story.

If you've read this blog regularly in the past year, you probably already know: I love being a dad. We welcomed our daughter nearly nine months ago, and my life has been permanently transformed. So has the desire to balance my time at home with my time at work. I wrote about these subjects in the recent issue of News Photographer magazine. I didn't realize what would stand alongside my column on the next page. It was a piece from Autumn Payne, a photographer and videographer at the Sacramento Bee, titled, "Yes, you can raise a family and do killer photojournalism, too." I read it. I loved it. Payne's words spoke to me as a new parent, even if she's a few years further in the process. She wrote around raising her four-month-old daughter while maintaining a foothold in the world of journalism. Check out her web site. She's crushing it. Payne is my guest on Episode #69 of the Telling the Story podcast. This is a worthy conversation, for new parents and for those who plan to one day become parents. Even the most ambitious and driven of us must adjust once they take on the numerous responsibilities of raising a child. But as Payne says, and as I have learned through my own experience, you don't have to close the door on your career. "You're just a little more cognizant of what you're doing," Payne told me, "as a person and as a journalist, when you have a little kid looking up to you." → The post PODCAST EPISODE #69: Autumn Payne, photographer, Sacramento Bee appeared first on Telling The Story.

The following podcast episode made me uncomfortable. I communicate for a living, and my trade is words. I stare frequently at blank cursors on my computer screen because I haven't found the exact word to properly convey an adjective, identifier, or emotion. I wade into controversial waters with caution, because I know how certain words can be interpreted in unintended ways. So when I invited Noelle Walker, an extraordinary and accoladed reporter for KXAS-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth, to discuss life as a woman in journalism in 2018, I knew it would require her to be vulnerable - and for me to join her. I would need to challenge my own assumptions and choices, including with words. I would need to accept the ways in which I might be a part of the problem. I would need to avoid presuming to already understand what the problem might be. I would need to worry less about saying the wrong thing or using the wrong word and worry more about keeping my mouth shut and listening. I would need to live in the uncomfortable. But I welcomed it. I wrote earlier this year how equal representation in media isn't just a task for the underrepresented, and I meant it. If I don't use my position and platform to confront difficult issues and illuminate perspectives that aren't my own, then I'm not doing my job as a journalist. That's how I feel about my work on the air, and it's how I feel about this blog. That's why I asked Walker to be my guest on Episode #68 of the Telling the Story podcast. To be fair - and I mentioned this during our conversation - I could have asked Walker about any number of journalism-related topics and learned an inordinate amount. But I focused on this one because she just spoke at the Women in Visual Journalism conference in Denver, and I wanted to interview someone from that event about the lessons for all of us - specifically the younger journalists, women and men, who listen to this podcast. As expected, Walker offered tremendous insights and anecdotes, which one might expect from an experienced reporter who's worked in numerous big cities and even freelanced at the network level. (For an example of this work - and the process behind it - check out my recent podcast with Walker's frequent photographic partner, Ryan Oliveira.) → The post PODCAST EPISODE #68: Noelle Walker, reporter, KXAS-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

"See the invisible." Adrienne Broaddus used this phrase early during our interview, and I instantly got it and loved it. She was discussing her approach to covering Hurricane Florence, which she did for a sister station in the Carolinas instead of her home station, KARE-TV in the Twin Cities. The award-winning reporter spoke of the people she met at a homeless shelter and said, "The people who were there, I wanted their voices to be heard. That's one of the foundations of great journalism." She used her time in North Carolina to find individual stories and unique details that weren't getting covered amidst the macro focus of the storm. It defines her approach in general, and it indicates a reporter who is confident in her voice and how to utilize it. Broaddus is my guest on Episode 67 of the Telling the Story podcast. I reached out to her weeks before Florence, intending to discuss different topics. Broaddus had just captured a pair of Salute to Excellence awards from the NABJ. She had also just spoken at the Sound of Life Storytelling Workshop, where we crossed paths on the presenting circuit. We weaved around each other's busy schedules for weeks - and then postponed the interview further once Florence arrived - before finally getting to chat. It was more than worth it. I have known Broaddus for several years and have always been a fan of her clarity of purpose. She showed it in our interview. She spoke about how her faith guides her reporting and why she proudly carries the mantle of "hope dealer." I think it's a worthy listen for any storytelling trying to find his or her voice. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #67: Adrienne Broaddus, reporter, KARE-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Since I began telling people my wife was expecting our first child, I received a familiar piece of advice from acquaintances and colleagues: "Welp, say goodbye to the next 20 years!" The implication, of course, is that my priorities will take a back seat to those of my child or children. That's not wrong. Nearly seven months since becoming a dad, I have happily sacrificed and compromised many other aspects of my life to take better care of my daughter. But I have also strove to maintain my own ambitions and desires, in a way that fits best my new schedule and responsibilities. This podcast is one example. It's suddenly a challenge to conduct podcast interviews from home. During the day I'm typically at work. In the evenings, I try to keep my voice down so my daughter can sleep. As a result I have interviewed fewer guests for my podcast in the last six months, but I have tried to produce new episodes on a semi-consistent basis. The solution? These shorter episodes that double as spoken-word recitations of my recent entries. I did this for Episode 63, sharing my reflections upon my first Father's Day. I do so again here, on Episode 66, with a behind-the-scenes story of life that intertwined with the launch of a major project at work. I hope you enjoy it ... and, parent or not, laugh along with it. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #66: Persevering as a parent while powering through at work appeared first on Telling The Story.

One good National Murrow winner deserves another. On my last Telling the Story podcast, I interviewed WTVF-TV's Catherine Steward, who won a Large Market TV station National Edward R. Murrow award for Excellence in Sound. She gave an invaluable breakdown of her brilliant production, from her techniques when shooting video to her commitment to gathering audio. Her piece seemed like the pinnacle of a local TV news feature, rooted in traditional storytelling. My guest for this episode went a different route. She told a powerful story as well, but she did it with the foundations of documentary: a steady, slow pace; methodically deployed effects, and a soft bed of music. The piece is called "Recovering from Rehab" - a team-up with Reveal and the Center for Investigative Reporting - and its accompanying investigation became a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. In my earlier post about lessons learned from this year's Murrow winners, here's how I described Merrion's piece: It’s just as effective, just as gripping, but nowhere near as sensational as its analogues in TV. Producer Olivia Merrion and reporters Amy Julia Harris and Shoshona Walter triumph here, with a straightforward but thoroughly reported story about a man sentenced to a year in prison but diverted to an alcoholism recovery program (despite no addiction to alcohol) where he mainly worked on a chicken processing plant. The super-tight shots at the start grab attention immediately, and from there Merrion and her team unfold the story with a deliberate confidence in its content. Merrion is my guest on Episode #65 of the Telling the Story podcast. I have worked in local TV news for my entire career, and I have received tremendous opportunities and national honors while maintaining a relatively stable salary and work-life balance. But when I speak to someone like Merrion - or recent podcast guest Emily Kassie - I always marvel at the allure and creative freedom of the documentarian route. I admire storytellers like Merrion who pursue stories with purpose, passion, and few restrictions for how to approach a subject. She has worked with major outlets and produced nationally recognized work, and she's just five years into her career. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #65: Olivia Loomis Merrion, Murrow-winning documentarian appeared first on Telling The Story.

I rarely ask a Telling the Story podcast guest to come back for a second episode. I like to spread the audio wealth and interview as many storytellers and journalists as possible to provide a full spectrum of perspectives for my audience. But when a previous guest wins a National Edward R. Murrow award with one of the most pristine slices of video I've ever seen, I can make an exception. Catherine Steward has captured numerous honors for her work as a photojournalist for WTVF-TV in Nashville. This may be her biggest yet. She took the Large Market TV station Murrow for Excellence in Sound, and the winning piece was a solo effort. Steward heard about a foundation called Strings for Hope that repurposes musical strings into wearable art, made by women who were formerly incarcerated with drug and alcohol addiction. In my earlier post about lessons learned from this year's Murrow winners, I wrote this about Steward's story: It's a beautiful concept, and Steward rises to it with an equally beautiful treatment. She captures crisp audio, whether on the Nashville streets or inside the string-spinning studio. Then she layers it in the edit with seamless fades in and out, musical and natural-sound-based scene switches, and pristine video to match. This piece is a winner, no doubt. But it's maybe the most instructive and practical for up-and-coming storytellers in need of inspiration. I decided to interview Steward for the podcast because of that final line. Young visual storytellers - photographers, reporters, or solo video journalists - should examine this piece for the myriad of techniques it includes. I asked Steward to deconstruct her story, scene by scene, nearly shot by shot, to give the rest of us a chance at producing something similar. So BEFORE YOU LISTEN to this podcast, watch "Strings for Hope" below. And follow along with Steward on Episode #64 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #64: Catherine Steward, photographer, WTVF-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

A few nights ago, I sat in my living room at 3 AM, feeding my daughter while contemplating my first Father’s Day as a dad, when one single moment crystallized my entire fatherly experience: My baby spit milk into my mouth. I couldn’t have planned it. I probably can’t replicate it. I had just pulled Olivia’s bottle and perched her on my lap. I had patted her back to burp her, then clutched her against my chest to soothe her. We had sat silently, her head leaning against mine, when I turned my cheek to give hers a kiss. As my lips puckered, Olivia swiveled her head my way and sent an ounce of milk fountaining from her mouth. Most landed on my shirt, some across my face. The rest settled inside my jaw. Dignity. But it wasn’t her action that encapsulated my life as a dad. It was my reaction. I pffted out the milk, looked at my child, shook my head and laughed out loud in a pitch-black room. I wasn’t upset. I wasn’t grossed out. I felt grateful. I’ve been waiting so long to be a dad, I thought. A little milk in the mouth is all part of the package. I often wonder how my job as a journalist affects my outlook as a father, and it’s not always obvious. But in moments like the Great Spitting Incident of 2018, it becomes clear. Same when the twentieth person of the week asks me, “Are you sleeping at all yet?” I am! And what little sleep I lose hasn’t bothered me. Neither have the middle-of-the-night feeds, exploding poops, and impromptu workouts from carrying Olivia on my shoulder for 20 minutes. I can shrug it off in Atlanta because I remember Sioux City. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #63: Here’s how my journey in journalism affects my view as a dad. appeared first on Telling The Story.

The greatest influence on my work last year came from outside my industry. I am a broadcast journalist who's been in the business 15 years, and in 2017 I spoke at six workshops, went to several awards ceremonies, and participated in four company summits. I witnessed a slew of inspiring speakers, colleagues, and leaders. But I transformed my game thanks to Jay Acunzo. He doesn't work in journalism - he actually eschewed the industry when he would have begun professionally - but he sure works in storytelling. He is the founder of Unthinkable Media and oversees a handful of B2B podcasts to reshape the way businesses connect with their audiences. But his primary podcast, Unthinkable, serves up weekly reminders of the value of carving your own path. Acunzo abhors the idea of "best practices". He encourages trusting your intuition and developing your voice. Those qualities might sound familiar. They're the basis of what my podcast is all about, specifically for journalists. But that's the problem. Young journalists too often become funneled into the familiar through traditional media outlets that demand quantity, speed, and routine over quality, depth, and originality. I have spoken before - including directly to college students - about thinking big. I use this podcast to spotlight others who do the same. Acunzo thinks huge but methodically, passionately, and with a willingness to push beyond the norm. Last summer I received the opportunity to launch my own storytelling franchise, Untold Atlanta, for the city's NBC affiliate. I didn't want to become complacent. I wanted to break ground. Around that time, I began listening to Unthinkable's eight-part "How Intuition Works" series. Every episode bubbled new ideas into my mind. The results soon showed: original output, audience response, and numerous honors. Most recently, my first Untold Atlanta documentary received a regional Edward R. Murrow award, my first in the documentary category. Acunzo is my guest on Episode #62 of the Telling the Story podcast. He may not be my typical guest, but that's what makes him great. He's a founder, creator, keynote speaker, podcaster, and soon-to-be book author. More importantly, he's an original thinker who inspires others to follow unique paths. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #62: Jay Acunzo, founder, Unthinkable Media appeared first on Telling The Story.

Her credits include the New York Times, NBC Left Field, BBC, and Huffington Post. Her awards include the NPPA, Overseas Press Club, and American Society and News Editors. Her projects include captivating documentaries of varying lengths, shot anywhere from south Florida to East Africa. And she's 25 years old. Emily Kassie has carved an extraordinary space for herself less than five years into her professional career, but it's no accident. She shoots with skillful craft and composition, and she covers heavy topics with an expertise and sensitivity that allow her stories to shine. But more than that, she fights for those topics, which so often get pooh-poohed in mainstream publications and stations as too difficult or uninteresting for a mass audience. She is my guest on Episode #61 of the Telling the Story podcast. I always seek guests who have developed a clear voice and can guide others in doing the same. Kassie fits this mold perfectly. I sensed in our conversation a journalist who knows what she wants to accomplish, who to seek out for help, and how to execute projects that live up to her pitch - often as a solo act, shooting and editing her own reports. I admire how Kassie uses her talents and focus: to fight for those who don't often enough get their stories told. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #61: Emily Kassie, award-winning documentary filmmaker appeared first on Telling The Story.

Late March and early April mark the start of awards season in TV news. For me, they mark the start of grabbing my popcorn and watching TV news award-winners. I love watching and learning from the best in my business. Last week I published my annual "5 lessons learned" piece from the first-place stories in the NPPA's Best of Photojournalism Video Awards. This week, I interviewed one of the big winners for Episode #60 of the Telling the Story podcast. Ryan Oliveira is a photojournalist at KXAS-TV, the NBC affiliate in Dallas/Ft. Worth which last year captured four National Edward R. Murrow awards and this week was named a Peabody Awards finalist. The station knows storytelling. This year, amidst a tremendously talented team of journalists, Oliveira stood out. He did so with sensitivity. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #60: Ryan Oliveira, photographer, KXAS-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

My first podcast of the year was inspired by a podcast I found late last year. I have listened to Gimlet Media's StartUp Podcast on and off since its inception. This past December I rediscovered it thanks to a five-part series called StartupBus. The premise? Per Gimlet's web site: "This past summer, 20 strangers got on a charter bus headed from New York to New Orleans. For three days they had one goal: Build and launch companies from inside the bus. And then? Compete against each other." Sound like a reality show? It did to Eric Mennel. The Gimlet senior producer pitched StartupBus as an episode, got on the bus, and realized after two days he had struck audio gold. He turned it into a five-part series, with one episode for each day of the competition. Think about the challenge. Mennel faced the curse of few limits; he had plenty of time and roughly two dozen people who could potentially become main characters in his story. He needed to find them, figure out the main stories, remain open to new events, record it all, and then - upon returning - winnow an absurd amount of audio into 150 minutes of content. Mennel succeeded. He joins me on Episode #59 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #59: Eric Mennel, senior producer, Gimlet Media appeared first on Telling The Story.

Our jobs as journalists almost always begin with listening. We listen to our communities for story ideas, our audience for feedback, and our interview subjects for a piece's deeper meaning. But how well do we listen to the concerns of our co-workers? Last month the Harvey Weinstein accusations and #MeToo hashtag refocused attention on issues that have never left: sexual harassment and gender and power imbalance in the workplace. I appreciate the strength of every woman and man who has come forward. I hope their efforts do more than capture a momentary spotlight; I hope they achieve systemic change. But change begins with communication, and I choose to point my comparatively tiny spotlight to a pair of journalists who are amplifying the voices of women in TV news. Carolyn Hall worked for many years as an elite photojournalist. Sierra Starks has swung from magazines to TV and now reports and fill-in anchors in Monterey, California. They are the hosts of a new podcast: Women on Deadline, which emphasizes *her* experience in TV news. By Episode 3, they had tackled the challenges of solo video journalism, the issues that creep into many local newsrooms, and - in the most revealing episode for this reporter - the extension of #MeToo. Hall and Starks join me on Episode #58 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #58: Carolyn Hall & Sierra Starks, hosts, Women on Deadline appeared first on Telling The Story.

When journalism professors ask me to speak to their classes and groups, they typically request I focus on two areas: the craft and the business. They want me to show my work, discuss how I produce stories, advise how to navigate the media landscape, and impart the wisdom of a broadcast professional. These are important topics - but, in my mind, not the most important. In one of my first blog entries, I wrote about what I learned (and didn't learn) in journalism school. Here's what I said I didn't learn: How to tell a story - in the advanced sense, anyway About the cold hard reality of the industry How to battle bureaucracy Here's what I said I did learn: A foundation outside of journalism that I apply to my work as a journalist To think critically about my field That what we do is important, and what we do is valued In short, I learned how to develop my voice. I thought of this when I received the chance to give the keynote speech at the induction banquet of the University of Georgia's DiGamma Kappa broadcast society. I decided I would encourage them in the way that had worked for me: implore them to think big and have something to say. I recorded that speech and present it now as Episode #57 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #57: My speech to college journalists on finding their voice appeared first on Telling The Story.

How did I know I should interview Les Rose for my podcast? A bunch of journalists told me so, and in rapid succession. Les was the keynote speaker at last month's Sound of Life Storytelling Workshop in Asheville, NC, at which I was delighted to speak as well. After Rose spoke, a handful of workshop attendees mentioned to me they would love to hear more of his advice and wisdom. This should not be a surprise. Rose is a storytelling legend, working for nearly four decades in broadcast journalism and more than two decades with CBS News. The photojournalist and field producer spent seven years involved with Steve Hartman's famous "Everybody Has a Story" segment. Clearly, his credentials are impeccable. But so is his passion. An hour after the workshop ended, I peeked back into the room where it was held and saw this: That's Rose at the podium, showing his pieces to a handful of faithful attendees, hosting his own mini-workshop long after the official one had concluded. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #56: Les Rose, CBS News & Syracuse University appeared first on Telling The Story.

It was a pretty cool moment. At last year's NPPA Southeast Storytelling Workshop, one of the loudest ovations came for someone in the audience. One of our speakers was talking about the innovative work being done at his company, and he showed a live shot from a reporter and photographer who happened to be in attendance at the workshop. During the shot, for a story about a suspect who left a fingerprint at the scene, the reporter smudged his thumb on the camera, and the photographer panned toward a light that enabled the thumbprint to appear on the camera. Check it out: [video width="576" height="320" mp4="http://tellingthestoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/video-1495075606.mp4"][/video] The workshop crowd erupted ... because the reporter and photographer had made the extra effort to conceive and execute a compelling and eye-catching live shot. Fast forward a year later, and that reporter -- WLOS-TV's Justin Hinton -- has gone from attending a workshop to presenting. He will be speaking with coworker Evan Donovan at the 2017 Sound of Life Storytelling Workshop. Hinton is my guest on Episode #55 of the Telling the Story podcast. Check out this episode for a great discussion of how to strengthen one's live shots, which often veer to the extremes of either sameness or gimmickry. Hinton also talks about the moves he made in college to catalyze a strong start in the business. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #55: Justin Hinton, reporter, WLOS-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

'Tis the season ... for journalists to focus on everything journalism-related but their jobs. After the May sweeps period comes the month of June, which always seems to be the ideal time for award ceremonies and workshops. I will be speaking at two workshops this month, and I plan to use this space to give each one some attention. If you live in the Southeast, I encourage you to head to Asheville to check out the Sound of Life Media Southeast Storytelling Workshop, organized by my good friend (and former fellow workshop co-director) John Kirtley. And if you live west of the Mississippi, I advise you to check out the NPPA Rocky Mountain Workshop in Salt Lake City from June 2-4. If you need any convincing, just push play on this podcast. John Wilson is the chief photographer at KSL-TV, the Salt Lake station that is hosting the workshop. He is a testament to the power of such events. Wilson began his career with aspirations of shooting Kentucky men's basketball for a living; when he reached that goal at age 23, he became propelled by attending workshops to focus more on storytelling. That choice has led to massive career success -- and the creation of this upcoming event in June. Wilson is my guest on Episode #54 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #54: John Wilson, chief photographer, KSL-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Last June I flew to Cleveland to cover the championship parade for the NBA's Cavaliers. I stood in a swarm of a million Clevelanders and witnessed one of the most stellar scenes in sports. I also witnessed one of the most stellar sights in photojournalism: the editing of Chad Nelson. The photographer from KARE-TV in the Twin Cities was, like myself, called to help our sister station in Cleveland. We worked on separate stories, and after I completed mine, I stopped by Chad's desk to say hello. Within minutes, I was receiving a master class in color and composition. I had always admired the care with which Nelson treats his video, but in Cleveland I gained a deeper appreciation. Nelson works at a station that prides itself on its storytelling culture, and he carries that culture in every story he shoots. Last month, it paid off. Nelson received three pieces of extraordinary news: He was named the NPPA's Central Top Region's Photographer of the Year. He was named a finalist for the NPPA's Ernie Crisp Photographer of the Year award. He was also named a finalist for the NPPA's Editor of the Year award. Now he is my guest on Episode #53 of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #53: Chad Nelson, photojournalist, KARE-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

The morning after he sat down for this podcast, Oliver Janney hopped on a plane from Washington, DC to Norman, Oklahoma. Why? He could not pass up the chance to be a part of the faculty at the famed NPPA News Video Workshop. Janney has a pretty busy day job; he is the senior field production supervisor at the DC bureau for CNN. He monitors dozens of photojournalists who fly all over the world to cover the biggest stories. But he also used to be one of those photojournalists in the field, and before he reached the national heights of CNN, he got a kick-start by attending the workshop in Norman. Janney is my guest on Episode #52 of the Telling The Story podcast. "That one week truly changed the trajectory of my career," Janney told me. "I thought I knew what I was doing before that, and I came out of that week questioning everything, excited, and just fired up." I met Janney two weeks ago when we both spoke at a different NPPA workshop: the Northern Short Course in Fairfax, Va. I truly enjoyed hearing his perspective as a photojournalist who has experienced both local and national newsrooms. I wanted to bring his insights to the recorded audience of this podcast, and Janney happily obliged. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #52: Oliver Janney, senior field production supervisor, CNN appeared first on Telling The Story.

I have never been to the page of the Facebook group run by my guests on this podcast. I can't get into the group. And that's a really good thing. Sarah-Blake Morgan and Katie Eastman run MMJane, a Facebook group that provides a platform and community for its nearly 1,000 members. The members are all women, and they are all solo video journalists. Such a group is long overdue. A few weeks ago, I released the results of the MMJ Survey, in which nearly 100 MMJs gave their anonymous thoughts about how they view the job and business. I discovered a massive gender gap in the responses. Female MMJs consistently gave lower marks to statements about the solo life, most notably to the statement: "I see myself as an MMJ ten years from now." This is a huge problem for the future of our business. Eastman and Morgan are my guests on Episode 51 of the Telling The Story podcast. I spent 45 minutes chatting with the MMJane administrators about ways to better cater to female MMJs and give them a stronger voice in their newsrooms. Only afterwards did I realize: they have already taken a giant step towards doing that. The mere existence and ownership of MMJane is a massive victory for the one-woman band community -- and, thus, our industry as a whole. Underrepresented groups advance more quickly when they develop a unified voice and receive positions of power. MMJane provides both. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #51: Sarah-Blake Morgan & Katie Eastman, MMJane appeared first on Telling The Story.

Let me first say the following: Thank you. I did not anticipate reaching 50 podcast episodes -- or four years of the blog as a whole -- when I recorded my first one in 2013. I have continued to write these posts and produce these episodes, in part, because of the consistent and genuine encouragement I have received from readers like you. That feedback helps keep me going. The other thing that keeps me going? It's a sentiment expressed with beauty and brevity by my guest on this milestone episode: "Always the student. Always learning." I would admire anyone who follows that philosophy, regardless of profession, but I especially admire those who preach it in local television news ... because it can be so easy to do the opposite. The business often seems to conspire sameness, and I strive to find guests on this podcast who never get comfortable or complacent. Fortunately for me, and for anyone who works at WXIA-TV in Atlanta, such a person has been the spirit of our newsroom for two decades. Brenda Wood is the reigning dean of Atlanta TV news, and she has worked in the business for forty years. In that time, she has broken barriers, interviewed dignitaries, and collected numerous awards. Beyond that, she has always seized the chance to extend her reach. She has stood out in recent years for a daily opinion segment called "Brenda's Last Word" and ambitious projects like a half-hour documentary spotlighting the work of the Carter Center in Ethiopia. In whatever she does, Wood aims to spread influence and make impact. She has been the bedrock of our building for so long that we will face a mammoth challenge when she moves on. On February 7, she is doing just that. Wood will sign off from 11Alive for the final time. Brenda Wood is my guest on this 50th episode of the Telling the Story podcast. This interview was supposed to last 30 minutes, but it went 45. Wood is rich with stories about the past, speaking about the challenges of starting her career as a black female reporter in the South. She also says plenty about the present, offering advice to young journalists on how to exercise their own influence and remain committed to their communities. And, of course, she talks about her future, which will be filled with that wonderful sentiment: "Always the student. Always learning." → The post PODCAST EPISODE #50: Brenda Wood, anchor, WXIA-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

How can we help journalism students do better? What are the things journalism students should know before they enter the business? So many of us in this profession, I fear, rarely think about how we welcome newcomers into that profession. I grapple with it often and have written about it in several entries in this blog. I have even authored a how-to book for aspiring local TV news reporters: The Solo Video Journalist, available now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publisher's web site. Vicki Michaelis has taken her own path to help our industry's future. She became a nationally respected and renowned sportswriter, leading USA Today's coverage of the Olympics on six different occasions. She also served as the president of the Association for Women in Sports Media. Then she received an opportunity that she had not foreseen. Michaelis, in 2012, learned of the chance to head the University of Georgia's new sports journalism program. She applied for the job and got it, and for the past five years she has helped sculpt a wave of young sports reporters as they prepare for their grueling entry into the professional world. Michaelis is my guest on Episode #49 of the Telling the Story podcast. I really enjoyed this conversation, in which Michaelis gave important insights into the mindset of current journalism students. We also discussed, at length, my recent blog post about what I learned (and didn't learn) in J-school. What should students expect to gain from a college journalism program? Michaelis and I dive deep into that topic. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #49: Vicki Michaelis, journalism professor, University of Georgia appeared first on Telling The Story.

This is a special podcast. Normally I have one special guest from the news industry, offering insights about his or her career and advice for young journalists and storytellers. This time, I have four. Episode #48 is a compilation of some of my favorite clips from the past year's episodes of the Telling the Story podcast. I chose snippets that specifically focused on advice for those just getting into the business -- all from some of the best in the business at their respective positions. You'll hear from Jed Gamber and Catherine Steward, two photojournalists who in 2016 were named the NPPA's Regional Photographers of the Year for the East and Central regions, respectively. (Listen to the full episode.) You'll hear from Boyd Huppert, the 100-Emmy-winning, world-renowned feature reporter for KARE-TV in the Twin Cities. (Listen to the full episode.) And you'll hear from Joe Little, who provided great insight for both the podcast and my book, The Solo Video Journalist, which is a how-to guide for young MMJs like Little and myself. (Listen to the full episode.) → The post PODCAST EPISODE #48: Best of 2016 edition appeared first on Telling The Story.

I'll always remember the first time I was asked to speak at a major storytelling conference. I flew to Minneapolis/St. Paul in 2014 to talk about solo video journalism at the Ignite Your Passion workshop. It immediately became one of the most joyous and fulfilling experiences of my career, and it sparked an evolution that led to me co-directing a similar workshop two years later. This past fall, Heidi Wigdahl received that same opportunity. The KARE-TV MMJ discussed the do-it-all process with Twin Cities colleague Adrienne Broaddus and WITI-TV's Jonathon Gregg. She cherished the opportunity to reach a regional audience of solo video journalists, many of whom are -- like her -- in their 20s. Wigdahl has a pretty impressive story to tell. She has risen up the ranks from Rochester, Minn. to Knoxville, Tenn. to her current location, Minneapolis/St. Paul. She now works at a station that is widely respected for the storytelling acumen of its reporters, photojournalists, and MMJs. Wigdahl is my guest on Episode #47 of the Telling the Story podcast. We discuss a wide range of topics but focus on one of the biggest logistical struggles for many MMJs: how to dress for the twin challenges of appearing on-air and shooting quality video. I interviewed Wigdahl about that topic for my new book, The Solo Video Journalist, available now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publisher's web site. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #47: Heidi Wigdahl, solo video journalist, KARE-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Earlier this week, I made an exciting announcement that should greatly benefit the journalism industry. I introduced my new book, The Solo Video Journalist, dedicated to providing a unique how-to guide for TV multimedia journalists -- also known as MMJs, backpack journalists, one-man and one-woman bands, and VJs. The book can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and my publisher's web site. Throughout the book, I interview some of the country's best MMJs -- and journalists period. I use each chapter to break down a specific step of the storytelling process, combining my advice with that of the journalist I interviewed for that chapter. In the case of shooting solo stand-ups, I knew exactly who to call. Joe Little of KGTV is my guest on Episode #46 of the Telling the Story podcast. He has gained notoriety in media circles for his annual YouTube compilation of his stand-ups that have continued now for more than half a decade. (I actually just got sidetracked writing this post while watching one. Check it out ...) He brings creativity and fearlessness to a task that would deter many solo acts -- myself included. I shied away from shooting my own stand-ups for a long time but have seen from Little and others how they can benefit my work. Now I do them regularly, and I am more empowered because of my solo status. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #46: Joe Little, solo video journalist, KGTV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Many of us in the TV news business spend the years of our 20s trying to "make it". We expend all of our energy building our craft, learning from others, staying afloat, and climbing the ladder to a point of relative stability in a ruthlessly unstable industry. Then we get to our 30s, and we make a conscious choice to begin to give back. I know I went through that process. It's why I started this blog four years ago. It's why I almost always accept requests to speak at workshops and conferences. It's why I helped organize and direct a workshop back in June. (It's also why I have been working on an exciting project for which I'll be making a special announcement next week.) And it's why I began the Telling the Story podcast, in which I always devote a segment with my guest about advice for younger journalists. My guest on this episode has fulfilled the same calling in a magnificent way. He is the director of photojournalism at KING-TV in Seattle, but he is perhaps even more highly regarded as the founder of Storytellers, a web site and Facebook group for critiques and conversation that just cleared 10,000 members -- almost all of whom are current journalists, news managers, and media professionals. He is Matt Mrozinski, and he is my guest for Episode #45. I have been a member of the Storytellers group for several years, but I had never heard how it began until interviewing Mrozinski for this podcast. I found his story fascinating, mainly because he did not start the group with the intent of reaching thousands of people. On the contrary, he stumbled upon its success -- but then seized the opportunity to ensure its growth in a meaningful way. I really enjoyed this interview and believe you will too. Mrozinski gives great insight into how the Storytellers community has benefited its members; he even provides some self-proclaimed "BREAKING NEWS" about future plans. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #45: Matt Mrozinski, founder, Storytellers appeared first on Telling The Story.

If you want to get to know my guest on this podcast, you need to watch this video: It features a young reporter, standing among legends as finalists for the NPPA's 2016 Reporter of the Year award, awaiting the decision ... and then finding out he won. The reaction is priceless. The reporter is Jason Lamb. After about 20 seconds of straightforward shock, the 30-year-old from WTVF-TV in Nashville gives a heartfelt acceptance speech. He talks about the lessons he learned from the other journalists on that stage. He confesses he didn't really prepare anything to say. And just when he claims to be done, he quickly calls everyone back so he can think the photographer, the ultra-talented (and former podcast guest) Catherine Steward, who shot every story on his award-winning entry. Lamb is my guest on Episode #44 of the Telling The story podcast. We certainly discuss his advice for young TV journalists on developing as a storyteller, but mostly we talk about his most recently high-profile assignment: covering Hurricane Matthew for dozens of local news affiliates as it came up the Florida coast. Lamb, Steward, and his team worked 17-hour days and executed loads of live shots; they came back exhausted but satisfied with their work. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #44: Jason Lamb, reporter, WTVF-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

I may have said this a time or two in the past month: The Olympics are an extraordinary assignment. I have had the privilege of covering the event three times, most recently this August in Rio de Janeiro. I find the assignment tests me in a variety of ways, both professionally and personally, and provides both unique challenges and wonderful memories. I have not been alone. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of journalists descend upon the Olympics every two years, and they are all tasked with providing a window for their readers and viewers that enables a greater connection to both the Games and their host city. I saw few handle this as deftly as the team at KUSA-TV in Denver. The NBC affiliate (and TEGNA sister station) comes equipped with a team of journalists who consistently make the extra push to tell the best story for their audience. One of those journalists, morning anchor Cheryl Preheim, is my guest on this episode of the Telling The Story podcast. I got to know Preheim at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi and worked with her again in Rio. In both cases I marveled at her abilities as a storyteller and her disposition as a person. Through a grueling 25 days, she always seemed to find the energy and optimism while putting together great work for her viewers. Listen to this podcast, and you'll get a window into what makes Preheim such a strong storyteller -- and what makes the Olympics such a daunting yet rewarding assignment. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #43: Cheryl Preheim, morning anchor, KUSA-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

If you work -- or wish to work -- in local television news, you will want to hear this hour of audio. Last month John Kirtley and I hosted and directed the NPPA Southeast Storytelling Workshop, at which a sold-out crowd heard from a bevy of the best storytellers nationwide. One of the highlights was a panel discussion featuring two people of tremendous influence at the nation's largest broadcast media groups: Ellen Crooke, VP of News at TEGNA, and Scott Livingston, VP of News at Sinclair. I have known Crooke for more than a decade; she has hired me twice, and I fully admit to being a tremendous admirer of her passion for storytelling and desire to change the landscape of TV news. I met Livingston for the first time at this workshop, but I am a huge fan of his photojournalistic mindset and the storytelling culture and teamwork that exists at many of his stations. During this panel, both offered tremendous insights into: the current TV news landscape and what's being done to improve it the ways in which both enterprise and in-the-mix journalism can be done better the types of journalists who stand out to them, and the ways in which young journalists can make themselves valuable in a newsroom I hope you enjoy this segment called "A Look at the Landscape", and I urge you to leave your thoughts in the comments below. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #42: Ellen Crooke, TEGNA; Scott Livingston, Sinclair appeared first on Telling The Story.

Through the first 40 episodes of the Telling The Story podcast, I followed a self-made rule that I would avoid repeating guests. I wanted to showcase as many storytellers and journalists as I could, so I refused to interview the same person twice. This week, I am breaking that rule. But it's for a good reason. My guest for Episode #41 is John Kirtley, who by day works at Asheville's WLOS-TV as the assistant chief photojournalist. When he last appeared on the podcast, we mostly discussed the craft of visual storytelling. But John, like me, has recently added a second professional title: co-director of the NPPA Southeast Storytelling Workshop, June 10-11 in Atlanta. John first came to me with the idea last March; we tabled the discussion until this January, and once we officially decided to do it, we began a long road of meticulous planning and non-stop calls and messages. Now the workshop is barely a week away, and I invited John back on the podcast to discuss how we hope people will benefit from it. This is a great listen for anyone coming to the Southeast workshop, but it is important on a broader level for any journalist or storyteller who has thought about attending a workshop at all. John and I are big believers in the value of occasionally removing ourselves from the daily grind to focus on improving our skills. If you are not coming to Atlanta, you should think seriously about the other workshops and conferences that regularly dot the journalistic landscape. Click here to learn more about the conference, and in the meantime, enjoy this podcast with the man who helped get it off the ground. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #41: John Kirtley, assistant chief photojournalist, WLOS-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

At the end of this podcast, I joke, "I can retire the podcast now!" Don't worry ... I don't plan to retire it. But I probably could, now that I have interviewed one of the most revered and decorated storytellers ever. My guest for Episode #40 is Boyd Huppert. The feature reporter for KARE-TV in the Twin Cities is widely known nationwide for his absorbing and touching stories, which regularly find their way to NBC Nightly News and the Today Show. For many in local TV, Huppert is an idol -- the man whose career and talents we all dream of having. I can't think of a single storyteller who does it better. In recent years, Huppert has also become well known as a teacher. He works with stations worldwide, speaks at conferences, and last year even gave a TED Talk. Huppert will also, I'm proud to announce, be the keynote speaker at this year's NPPA Southeast Storytelling Workshop, being held in Atlanta June 10th and 11th. I am organizing and co-hosting the conference with photojournalist (and one-time podcast guest) John Kirtley of WLOS-TV in Asheville. We welcome anyone looking to improve as a storyteller and receive inspiration from some of the best in the country, particularly our keynote speaker. Click here to learn more and register for the conference, Feel free to e-mail me with questions at the address below. In the meantime, enjoy this podcast with a legendary storyteller who speaks about his background, offers advice for getting the most out of workshops, and gives his insights and tips for young journalists. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #40: Boyd Huppert, reporter, KARE-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Before you listen to this podcast, you need to watch a video. This video. This is a snippet from an interview with Will Ferrell, where host Katie Couric plays a clip of the actor's work in college as an aspiring sportscaster. At the 42-second mark, you see Ferrell pontificating about a beauty pageant, deadpanning about the contestants while a co-anchor nods graciously and holds Ferrell's microphone. That co-anchor is John Le, and he is my guest on this episode of the Telling The Story podcast. We all know what became of Ferrell, but his sidekick in that clip has developed an illustrious career of his own. Le is regarded as one of the top feature reporters in the industry and has won five regional Edward R. Murrow awards along with a rising stack of regional Emmys. He is a finalist for this year's NPPA national Best of Photojournalism award for Reporting. He is also a hoot. Perhaps Ferrell's comedic instincts rubbed off on him (or maybe it was the reverse?), but Le is an effervescent presence whose personality more than stands out during this podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #39: John Le, reporter, WLOS-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Sometimes we forget the cold hard potential of what we can accomplish in journalism. Chris Vanderveen is a good reminder. (As evidenced from his photo above with the Most Interesting Man in the World, he also knows how to keep good company.) After more than a decade as an award-winning general assignment reporter for KUSA-TV in Denver, Vanderveen applied for a job within his station to join the investigative team. He got it, and he has been throwing journalistic haymakers ever since. Specifically, Vanderveen has produced stories and led movements that have changed laws. He brings a storyteller's sensibility to the often tough-to-digest world of investigative journalism. I-Team stories tend to come across as an overload of numbers and data, except when in the hands of a reporter who can give viewers a reason to care. Vanderveen is my guest on this episode of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #38: Chris Vanderveen, reporter, KUSA-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Awards season is underway in local TV news. Over the next few months, some of the most prestigious associations in journalism will present lists of winners and honor some of the best reporters and photojournalists in the field. Photojournalists Jed Gamber and Catherine Steward are off to a great start. This past week, Gamber and Steward each received one of the highest honors in the craft: being named NPPA Regional Photographer of the Year. Gamber captured the crown for the East region for his work at WBFF-TV in Baltimore, while Steward topped the Central region after a stellar year with WTVF-TV in Nashville. The award they won prizes consistency and versatility and honors an entire year's worth of powerful storytelling. Watch their work, and you will quickly see why: these two photojournalists care about awards far less than they care about their audience. Gamber and Steward are my guests of this episode of the Telling the Story podcast. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #37: Jed Gamber, WBFF-TV & Catherine Steward, WTVF-TV appeared first on Telling The Story.

Remember those commercials where a poor sap cannot stop raving about the delivery pizza he is eating, only to be scolded: "It's not delivery, it's DiGiorno"? That's how I feel at the beginning of every episode of "You Are Not So Smart". The podcast delves into various concepts of psychology, but it almost always opens with a pop culture example that both illustrates and introduces each episode's topic ... not unlike what I just did with the DiGiorno example. But after host David McRaney lures you in with clips from Mad Men or the Twilight Zone, he provides a beautiful hour or so of discussion and conversation that connects on a much more sophisticated level. McRaney is my guest on Episode #36 of the Telling The Story podcast. I reached out to McRaney because I was impressed with both his expertise as a storyteller and his versatility in the field. This is a guy who once owned a pet store (twice!), but he transitioned to journalism and carved out an utterly unique path. He has written for a handful of popular web sites, but he has become most prolific through "You Are Not So Smart", which before it became a podcast started as a blog and continued as a book. From his home base of Hattiesburg, Miss., McRaney has built an empire that has opened the door to opportunities. What makes his show such a success? McRaney credits, at least partly, his subject matter. "These are heady topics that appeal to the lowest common denominator," he says, "in that everybody is interested in why we think the things we think." But McRaney did not reach 200,000 Facebook followers thanks to topic alone. He reached it through exposure, likability, and superb storytelling. → The post PODCAST EPISODE #36: David McRaney, “You Are Not So Smart” appeared first on Telling The Story.