professional diary

Last week was my first week at online desk. Most of my job was observing. It sounds boring but in fact it was very interesting and inspiring. I went to the office at 6:30am and observed Peter Mucha, the online reporter at the Inquirer working. I shot him with my camcorder, took notes and asked a lot of questions. Then I wrote a report to my colleagues in China. They were shocked. How could he be so productive!
Peter wrote four stories from 7am to 11 am. He also did other things, including recommending top stories, checking website and fixing online news.
Comparing to the online desk staff in my newsroom, Peter enjoys three advantages:
First, he has the power to decide what, how and when to write and publish his stories online. He controls the whole process which is shared by reporters, editors at online desk, editors at other desks and managing editor in my newsroom.
Second, as a 20-year veteran journalist and also a pioneer in online journalism, Peter can write, edit, interview, producing html codes and drawing pictures. He is perfect for online news. We don’t have staff like him. Though young journalists in China are also good at Photoshop or Adobe software, they lack the printed experience. Who is the 20-year veteran journalist in my newsroom? Only our editor in chief and number editor director.
Third, Peter has much more access to material, sources, information he need to work. For example, he can easily find pictures from Inquirer’s database. We are still building our database.
All these advantages show the gap between American newspaper industry and Chinese. What could we do? Steal Peter from the Inquirer?
I believe there must be a solution and that is why I am here.
Another thing I am doing is editing videos. My personal research project is online journalism in American newspaper industry. I have interviewed a lot of people here and also took a lot of videos. Now I need to edit them and put them online.
AFPF asked me to share my experience with my colleagues in China by holding workshops when I am back.
I already go further.
I opened a weekly column named observing American media on Caijing’s website. I have written about 20 stories about the transformation of American media. So all my readers and colleagues learn what I learn here at the same time.
In the beginning I took videos just to show to my colleagues after I am back. But my editors said they can publish them on Caijing’s website. I maybe one of the first Chinese printed reporters who tell a story with a video.
I am so excited!
Reporters at the Inquirer took video after long time training while I shoot the first minute I got a camcorder. I could get such a great opportunity not only because I get the support from AFPF and Inquirer but also because I am in a turning point of American newspaper industry.
God opens a window when he closes a door. The old saying is the best description of today’s newspaper industry.
I just finished a series of stories on the multimedia reporting of three reporters at the Inquirer. I plan to write a story about the online desk. I will also write a long story about Brian Tierney, the publisher of the Inquirer. I will also interview people at Philly.Com on marketing and advertisement.
After I finish the Inquirer series, I will begin the Washington Post series, which is about the paper side, the dot com side, the production side and also Sabrina, the third party’s opinion.
Then I will discuss other newspapers like NY Times and Wall Street Journal.
I believe the column could continue after I am back.
Some journalists who attended such programs said they had been very lonely and home-sicking in the last month of their fellowship. I am not.
I am still eager to learn andI am still happy. The only thing that makes me unhappy is that my magazine cancelled my 10-day vacation. I waited for five years for a 10-day vacation!
To me, it is difficult to combine work with vacation. I am too busy here. Every day I work from 10 am to 6 pm at the office and then I work at Starbucks from 7 pm to 9:30 pm and go to bed at 11 to 12 pm.
The positive side of my busy agenda is that I will not have much problem adapting the huge burden of work in China when I am back.