Views from the News

You don’t have to work in the business long to know that slow news days exist. They defiantly do, but just because your list of potential stories is slim doesn’t mean there aren’t any in your community. You just have to know where to look, who to contact and get creative.  1. Ask around This may sound like commonsense but hear me out. Your friends, family and the general public could lead you to your next big story. These people can provide you with more eyes and ears in the community and may have run across something interesting while they were out and about. Ask your loved ones for potential stories. Crowdsource on your social media pages to get the public in on the action. These people know of organizations and scenarios that have affected them, so utilize them well.  2. Be observant  Driving down the road? Look for road closures or things that appear out of the ordinary, then ask yourself “why?” Keep your eyes peeled at all times. You never know when ...

Like I have said before, each national story tends to have a local impact. As journalists it is important to understand that these large breaking news stories ultimately trickle down and affect our communities.  The last time I “localized” the coronavirus, I spoke about the significance of the disease and what precautions Troy University was putting in place to prevent its spread. At that time, the thought of the virus popping up in our small, rural college town was unthinkable for some.  On Wednesday, as students were brewing their morning coffee or working on assignments from home, the Troy Messenger broke the news that a confirmed case of COVID-19 had made its way into Pike County. The unthinkable, for some, had just became a reality.  Right now, the public has been encouraged to continue practicing social distancing. People should only leave their home for necessities. When leaving your home, you should leave a six-foot distance between yourself and oth...

The last time I  “localized” the coronavirus , I spoke about the significance of the disease and what precautions Troy University was putting in place to prevent its spread. At that time, the thought of the virus popping up in our small, rural college town was unthinkable for some.  On Wednesday, as students were brewing their morning coffee or working on assignments from home, the  Troy Messenger  broke the news that a confirmed case of COVID-19 had made its way into Pike County. The unthinkable, for some, had just became a reality.  Troy Mayor Jason Reeves encouraged the community to be aware of their surroundings.  “As we’ve been saying all along this is a serious situation,” he told the Troy Messenger. “We need to continue to be very careful in what we do and how we do it.” Right now, the public has been encouraged to continue practicing social distancing. People should only leave their home for necessities. When leaving your home, ...

I felt a little hindered at first, knowing that because of the coronavirus I couldn’t visit the television station and whip up a story like I normally would. But, being a multi-media journalist means being flexible. So, I and some fellow Troy University student journalists are reporting the news the best we can while also practicing social distancing; via social media.  Because I can’t necessarily create a TV news package, because I really don’t have much to film in my home, I’ve had to rely more on a print format. I’ve reached out to the university and will soon reach out to students through my phone to get information from sources.  I’m currently working on a story for Troy University’s student newspaper, The Tropolitan, about on campus dining closures. Many restaurants have closed down shop to prevent the spread of the virus.  All dining options in the Trojan Center are unavailable, and a few other eateries have new, temporary hours. Troy’s dining hall is...

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, has been a hot topic in the headlines recently, and for good reason.  Back in December 2019, the media first broke the news of the disease, which sprung up in China. Overtime, journalists continued to cover the coronavirus; reporting on how what appeared to have been an isolated incident became a worldwide pandemic. The virus is now present in countries across the globe and all 50 U.S. states have confirmed cases. Overall  USA Today  says there have been at least 222,000 confirmed cases worldwide (as of March 19, 2020), and that number continues growing. Despite an alarming amount of cases, some argue that the media has blown the whole pandemic out of proportion. Some social media users have taken to Facebook to express their disproval of the news media. I have heard people comparing the coronavirus to the flu, which is obviously more common and has affected more people. While the flu may be more common, this viral outbreak is screa...

The world of broadcast journalism is competitive. Journalists have to work quickly and accurately to get stories covered first; but before you can pick up a microphone and begin reporting, you have to get hired. Today, we focus on a graduate of Troy University who served in the TV news business for years and has returned to teach students about the industry in hopes of getting them hired. Stefanie Hicks East grew up in Enterprise, Alabama, before attending Troy’s Hall School of Journalism and Communication, majoring in broadcast journalism. She worked at the on-campus television station TSU TV, which is now known as Troy TrojanVision News, then accepted an internship with WTVY in Dothan, Alabama. She was soon hired, and worked to create broadcast news stories independently, as a “one-man band.” She was then promoted as the station’s morning news anchor and woke up every morning at 1 a.m. to produce the newscast. She then took on another job opportunity in 2004 as the evening...