First Story

During a discussion of what's a newspaper story and what's a TV story this evening we got onto the topic of What Was Your First Story On-Air.

For me it was a whopper. I started on-air the weekend both Princess Diana and Mother Teresa died. My assignment: How are people handling the double-whammy of both deaths at once?

It had never taken me so long to write a 1:15 package (an encapsulated story with reporter sound over video and interview soundbites, maybe a short on camera presence from the reporter).

One of my Nightside Reporters said her first story was a convoluted murder trial. She felt totally out of her depth.

I would've killed (figuratively!) for a murder case right out of the shoot. The difference? Her first story was straight out of J-School. Mine came after I'd been a news photographer for nearly a year, teamed with the crime beat reporter. I could've covered a murder trial in my sleep.

That got me to thinking about the crime beat reporter. She knew I wanted to be a reporter too and was very encouraging. So, when we'd come back from a story, I'd write my own version while she was writing the official one. We thought so much alike I'd almost invariable use exactly the same soundbites as she had, in the same order.

I cried on her shoulder more than once, as novice after novice got hired as a reporter over me. And she was there to celebrate with me when I finally got the longed for chance to report.

Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane.
Nimitz' Lady
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