In job listings you’ll read about skillsets, willingness to work, and being a team player. But one major qualification for being a local journalist is often overlooked: knowledge of the community.
When I’ve been involved in hiring, I’ve always regarded connections to the local area or the region to be strong points in a candidate’s favor. That doesn’t mean ignoring great candidates from other parts of the country, but those who make big moves end up having to work a lot harder to learn about their new home.
What can you do to prepare for a news job in a new city?
As soon as you know you’re going to be moving, start consuming local news from your new city immediately, both from your new employer and your competitors. Read articles from the largest newspapers, watch as many TV newscasts as possible, listen to radio news, search for podcasts, and start following local news media outlets and journalists on social media.
Become familiar with the geography of the coverage area or circulation area. Study maps to learn the names of the counties, larger cities, and neighborhoods. Learn the names of the major highways, lakes, and other geographic features in the area.
I’d also study the major institutions in the area. What are the major employers and industries, the big colleges and universities, and the medical systems?
Look at tourism and convention websites to get a feel for the major events and how the year will shape out, and why people visit the area.
You also need to have an idea of who holds political offices. If you don’t understand the difference between the state Senate and the U.S. Senate, learn it before you find yourself interviewing a Senator. Check recent election results to see how different parts of your area lean politically. Try to learn more about the major local political leaders’ backgrounds. Don’t forget city council and school board, because you’ll probably end up covering them more often than big-name politicians.
If your new home is in a different climate, learn about the local seasons and how weather events are handled. A person moving to the Midwest from the South might have to learn about snow, while a person moving to the South from the Midwest might have to learn about hurricanes.
Once you’re on the job, ask about unusual pronunciations to be aware of. Some broadcast newsrooms even have a list.
Once you’ve settled in to your new city, it’s important that you actually live there. I’ve seen a few young journalists make the mistake of leaving town every weekend. Yes, it’s important go home to visit family and friends once in a while, but you also have to be in your new home often enough to understand what it’s really like to live there.
Jon Ellis has worked in small-market TV news for 20 years in assistant news director and producer positions.
LINK: More Newsroom Notes