Tia Humphries
1. Which video resonated with you and why?
I enjoyed watching the Tamron Hall video the most because her viewpoint offended me but inspired me all at the same time. Hall begins her interview by saying, “ Every time a young girl comes in and asks me for advice, if you start your conversation with ‘how hard is it as a black woman’ or ‘how hard is it as a woman,’ I turn you around.We cannot look at the roadblocks and see the road at the same time.” My first impression was that she is a bit harsh and discouraging to women who genuinely feel lost in journalism. Black women are the most overlooked demographic in the workplace and are the lowest paid. Black women’s struggles are not synonymous to white women’s or Latina’s. I expected more from her. However, I do agree once you’ve acknowledged your struggles and have tried to advocate yourself, then move beyond your roadblock. I believe if we don’t speak up for ourselves, it will only continue to happen to the black women journalists to come. We shouldn’t have to accept stereotypes being our measurement of our success. Everyone’s journey isn’t the same. She references being a Southerner and going to school up North. A lot of people have made the same transition but have had even worse experiences than she did. It’s the thin line of ignoring adversity and being disrespected. As journalists we are supposed to be the advocate for the people, but we also have to advocate for ourselves, especially as black women in a white woman dominated field. I don’t think Tamron Hall is encouraging black women to shrink themselves, but I think she’s asking them to shrink their experiences.
2. How did broadcast news impact the Civil Rights Movement?
As modern age journalists, I believe many forget the early impact television and broadcast news had on major events throughout the country. The Civil Rights movement, beginning in 1954, was a national movement that bonded African Americans and white allies across the nation in the name of equality. Broadcast news played in avid role of connecting everyone by providing updates and coverage on marches, protests, and speeches. The news was an aid to protestors to disperse information, gain national attention, and a platform for their voices to be heard. While it also prevented the government and local institutions from denying that race was a defined issue in the United States. As journalists we must be advocates for the people and hold the Government accountable, early broadcast news was able to do just that. Live video coverage from these events demonstrated African Americans being hosed down, beaten, sit-ins, boycotts, lynches, and the reactions of the public.
Broadcast news created imagery for the stories people were reading in the papers at the time. If you think about it, anybody can write something down and say its true. However, back then you couldn’t photoshop or manipulate any videos or images. The American people were able to see first-hand the severity and necessary change regarding the Civil Rights movement. I believe broadcast news also put pressure on Congress and the Johnson administration to enact change. There was no way the federal government could ignore what was going on in the Southern Belt, when its being broadcasted across the nation. The media was a major ally to the Civil Rights Movement that isn’t talked about often.
3. What are the similarities and differences between the first 30 min newscast and those on air today?
Almost 50 years ago, the first 30-minute broadcast newscast aired CBS evening News anchored by Walter Cronkite. Like we say in journalism, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I was shocked to see that there were more similarities between the first newscast than differences in comparison to modern-day newscast. The overall structure and flow of the newscast has remained the same in terms of presenting breaking news and packages. In both, the anchors and reporters utilize elements to complement their concise scripts. The anchor threw coverage to reporters doing live shots. the anchor remained the central face of the newscast and serve as the guiding agent of the newscast. Today anchors still play the same role but can work in a team if need be.
However, one thing that did change is technology. In the original newscast, Walter Cronkite uses printed notes as his teleprompter and would have to physically hold pictures for the camera to observe. Now, anchors have prompters that have their scripts uploaded. Graphics also play a major role in providing context to what the reporter or anchor is talking about. This is usually controlled by a production assistant in the control room. The first newscast had limited camera shots when returning to the anchor. The newscast primarily used wide shots. Todays’ newscast. Have anchors standing, sitting, and moving around throughout a news cast and utilize different camera shots to keep the viewer’s attention. The b-roll presented in the first newscast was very straight to the point and lacked the human aspect of delivering news. Whereas today’s newscast tries to aim for the heart of the viewer.
4. How has CNN revolutionized the news industry? What stood out specifically about the first day of coverage?
In the 1960s, newscast would run in 30-minute intervals and cut off after the evening newscast. The news channels would consist of static and white noise. However, CNN saw a need within journalism and felt like they had a responsibility to keep the people as informed as possible. On June 1, 1980, CNN launched their first 24-hour newscast anchored by David Walker and Lois Hart. The CNN network was the first to produce to 24-hour content, seven days a week. As if that wasn’t enough, CNN also became the first network to globalize their news and provide access to American people on world issues.
In comparison to the first newscast, most issues were domestic, and anchor live shots consisted of local establishments and monuments. The CNN newscast showed reporters across the world, allowing the newscast to obtain elements that hadn’t been previously seen on other networks. I think it’s also interesting how the anchors alternate between the stories but rarely have dialogue with each other. Instead of taking their time to connect the stories, the next anchor moves into the next package. Time is of the essence in broadcast; however, news has to be human and interesting. I also found it interesting how majority of the news packages were pertaining to serious cases, not too many enterprise stories. However, I do like how they sprinkled in weather updates to lighten the mood. The commercial selection also contained upbeat music and appealed to families. CNN changed the game and introduced a new way to cover the news.
5. What did you learn most from “A Day in the Life of a Newsroom?” and which role would you feel most comfortable with?
“A Day in the Life of a Newsroom?” was a reality check I needed about the fast-paced environment of the newsroom. Journalists are always on-call and at any moment a breaking news story could come in on the scanner. The newsroom is a team that mobilizes the moment the assignment desk gets a tip-off on a story lead. There is no time to waste, but everything must be done fair and accurately. I was surprised to see how many people provide input on a story before it is added to the newscast sequence, and sometimes that is just seconds before it is supposed to air. Despite the high-speed environment, the newsroom functions as a collaborative team and everyone’s role can change in a flip of a dime. This is a result of the bottom line, money. Journalists are constantly working to meet deadlines. The video shows how stressful and overwhelming a day can become, but the satisfaction after a successful newscast is unmatched. I also learned it is important to remain calm and solution orientated when developing a story. The producer and desk manager must serve as the guiding lights to the reporters and anchors. I see myself as a producer or assignment desk manager because I like having input in which direction the network will present the news. Our book also mentions how producers get to choose what the world knows and ultimately helps write history. I feel like that is, if not the most, important job in the newsroom. I will be an executive producer one day.
6. Finally, what are your thoughts about Tamron Hall’s comments, and why?
I respect Tamron Hall’s viewpoint of seeing the rode ahead, but unfortunately that isn’t a reality we live in. I don’t believe anyone chooses to allow stereotypes to dictate their lives and careers, but nobody can control how others choose to view them. As a woman, a black woman at that, I have seen how my color has entered a room before I ever could. My intelligence is often questioned and asked to demonstrate my skills before I am offered a promotion. Yes, everyone struggles, but everyone isn’t fighting the same war. As a black woman in the industry, I believe she could provide insight in how frequent her race was brought into question without “focusing” on her challenges. Its healthy to acknowledge adversity, but the key is to not let it consume you.
On the other hand, I respect her choice for seeing beyond outward limitations. Her mindset personifies Professor Thomas’ motto, “Excellence without excuse.” I do believe you have to adopt a mentality as a journalist to work as hard as possible and to be able to adapt to surroundings with the goal of producing a great story. I believe a better way to have phrased her views would be to journalists to remember they are in their designated newsrooms for a reason. Embrace the challenges that make you, you and use that attention to generate compelling stories. Tamron Hall has found a method that works for her, but it’s important not to invalidate those who are still striving to reach a similar mentality.