Journalism | Sarah Jackson reports as @Journoholic

Posts Tagged ‘Journalism’

How one cup of coffee changed my life

A recent conversation, over coffee, brought to mind a seemingly insignificant moment that changed my life.

This recent chat was with Megan Robertson, a very kind and bright journalist who I met on Twitter the week before. She was welcoming me to New York City and offering career advice, and the conversation strayed to her own climb up the corporate ladder. “I can think of one or two people — if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” she recalled.

That remark reminded me of the people who have invested in my own life. There are many, yet one person in particular has profoundly shaped the path of my life. I can say with absolute confidence that, if not for Bob Basil, who chairs the applied communications department and teaches at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, my story would be drastically different. It was one cup of coffee, …

May 16, 2012 Tags: America, coffee, college, education, future, Journalism, journalist, networking, work
Category: Journalism, Life 3 Comments

The problem with polls

Let’s be blunt. Polls are wildly inaccurate, and increasingly so.

I’m tired of reading that this or that poll has been debunked by today’s newest numbers, and then watching as the Twitterverse explodes in shock that election results were far from the experts’ (read: polls’) predictions. But day after day, more polls are released and more charts are built to show how the GOP candidate who’s rocketed into “flavor of the week” popularity would fare in a general election versus Obama or a primary versus their GOP opponents.

Sometimes, the infographics show a three-month trend, or another method of pseudo-science. These numbers should carry a warning: “This poll’s results carry a 24-hour expiration date and reflect little other than an outdated system for gauging public opinion.”

Plus: most people with home telephone service probably didn’t watch the latest GOP debate or hear the latest sound bite since it is nearly ONE YEAR until …

December 13, 2011 Tags: America, demographic, internet, Journalism, News, politics, polls
Category: News No Comments

The future is looking up for journalism students

Journalism jobs have been springing up throughout B.C. recently — and young journalists are being eyed to fill those positions.

It’s a sign of the times, an admission that tech-savvy and energetic 20-somethings can provide necessary skills to aging newsrooms less inclined to adopt extra work in their already busy days. Some fondly remember the days of spending days on big stories; students now have never known that luxury.

Today, it is all about speed, website hits and the number of published stories.

It has been encouraging to see so many job openings this summer, though competition for those spots is stiff. A young age is now an asset in the eyes of many hiring editors. Those editors are keen to consider young reporters’ tech advice and newsrooms that have limited knowledge of multimedia production are eager to learn.

There have been permanent openings at a number of newspapers. And though there are few …

August 14, 2011 Tags: college, economy, freelance, future, Journalism, journalist, work
Category: Journalism, Life No Comments

A pen, paper and a story

How my childhood led me to a career as a journalist

A blank piece of paper is pure magic. With strokes of a pen, an entire universe comes to life. Beauty that surpasses even artistry fills the expanses of the imagination.

First, a never-ending garden with the greenest, tallest grass, aging Willow trees, and roses every colour of the rainbow. Lilacs befriended by young hummingbirds grow alongside a well-worn path of red brick. It smells gloriously earthy, of air just cleaned by a spring rain. This secret paradise is the escape of an 8-year-old girl, Anna. She is a short and quiet, but the state of her clothing speaks volumes. Her bright sundress hiked to her knees, she marches through the waist-high meadow, unashamed of the grass stains covering her white tights. ………

The imagination is the most powerful tool a person can possess. I learned this early in life. Poverty? I didn’t know that I was using paper and reading books because …

July 24, 2011 Tags: America, education, future, identity, jobs, Journalism, journalist, work, writing
Category: Journalism, Life 1 Comment

Living a lie: why abuse forced me to use a fake name

Fear is like a snake. It slithers into deep crevices, hiding for a time. Then it swallows its prey whole.

It presented itself as shaky hands. Nobody noticed but me. I was good at hiding things.

At school, I never missed a class. I won awards for having the best grades of those in my year of the program. Other than a frequent struggle to stay awake, and a lack of money for food when I didn’t bring lunch, my behaviour was not much different from that of other students. And I was used to missing sleep and skipping meals, anyway.

Once, I went a week without eating. But I skipped a dinner every few nights. Not eating was incredibly helpful in numbing emotions, and it had the added bonus of being easier on the wallet.

I was in an abusive relationship.

I faced threats, accusations and erratic behaviour around the clock. There was no …

July 19, 2011 Tags: abuse, freedom, identity, internet, Journalism
Category: Life 7 Comments

Want to connect?