Monday, November 16, 2015

Job Shadows: What You Saw, Part 1


Here's a sampling of some of the various job shadows done by you all (this will be updated as job shadow reports are turned in, so please check back frequently). Take a look and see what you can learn from everyone's visits. There's a lot of good stuff here to help you decide what you want to do with your lives; what you need to be doing to get there; and what to expect when you do get there.

Please give each one of these a quick read as they come in, will you?

*****
            On my job shadow at WXYZ Channel 7 Action News, I was able to meet a large range of professionals and different occupations in the broadcasting field. I shadowed Lyle Cifuentes, who is the Executive Producer of Digital Media for Channel 7, and was able to look at a different area of the news that I wasn’t entirely familiar with. 

Lyle sends news blasts through social media forums, keeps the website updated and current, and helps investigate breaking news stories in order to share on the networks media platforms. Lyle edits video content, talks to readers and solves problems, writes articles, and occasionally will have a hand in the regular TV broadcasting.

It was very interesting to see Lyle doing so many jobs under one title, and she really solidified the statement that journalists have to be able to do it all this day and age. I was there to watch Lyle handle two breaking news situations, learned how to cut clips for the website, watched her post to the website, and I was also able to shadow several other professionals at the news channel for a couple minutes throughout the day, and they were: Meteorologist Dave Rexroth, Brad Galli with sports, Carolyn Clifford: 7 Action News anchor, Aaron Liversedge from Creative Services, and Barry Cutler, a noon TV broadcast producer, and the Assignment Desk editors.

            Lyle’s advice for me was always seek the truth and stressed the importance of “it’s not about being first, it’s about being right” when it comes to competing against other news networks. Lyle explained to me that her job is not the norm, and it’s not for the weak. There are long hours and sad times and difficult situations to work through, but when you see her talk about it all, it clear she is very happy and excited about her line of work, and that is what I want to get out of journalism as well. 

The most valuable thing I gained in my shadow was gaining a new-found confidence in myself as a young journalist. I understand I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, but I now I see what is at the other end and I am incredibly excited.


Lyle Cifuentes (WXYZ Channel 7)
Executive Producer of Digital Media

Phone: 248-376-6911.

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