1st Edition
Why I'm a Journalist Personal Stories from Those Who Cover the News
Why be a journalist? It can be a difficult job with long hours, hard work and an uncertain future. Journalists face relentless criticism and an industry in transition. Aaron Chimbel has put together a collection of essays from working journalists who answer the question — why be a journalist? — with their personal stories of coming up, toiling in the field and writing important, career-defining stories. These journalists come from different platforms, beats and locations, offering varying accounts of the travails and rewards of being a working journalist across changing landscapes and timelines.
The essays in Why I’m a Journalist offer encouragement and wisdom about the path to being a reporter, a broadcaster, an editor or a media professional. This is a collection for students interested in the field, early upstarts engaged with building their careers and seasoned pros looking to learn from their colleagues.
Foreword
Byron Pitts
Preface
Aaron Chimbel
Section 1 – Public Affairs Journalists
Norah O’Donnell
John F. Harris
Perla Trevizo
Ziva Branstetter
Section 2 – International Journalists
Elise Hu
Muhammad Lila
Robyn Kriel
Can Dündar
Section 3 – Media Journalists
Eric Deggans
Brian Stelter
Kristen Hare
Section 4 – Business Journalists
Karen Blumenthal
Kelli B. Grant
Michael Schreiber
Section 5 – Sports Journalists
Karen Crouse
Mark Godich
Joel Anderson
Section 6 – Print Journalists
Tawnell D. Hobbs
Rose Baca
Lee Powell
Section 7 – Broadcast Journalists
John Sharify
Michele Mitchell
Carlos C. Hopkins
Wayne Freedman
Section 8 – Digital Journalists
David Cohn
Mila Sanina
Steve Myers
Section 9 – Journalism Leaders
Aminda (Mindy) Marqués Gonzalez
Peter Bhatia
Susana Schuler
Jay Shaylor
Section 10 – Young Journalists
Alex Apple
Lexy Cruz
Andrea Drusch
Lauren Galippo
Andrea Masenda
Ryan Osborne
Daniel Salazar
Afterword
Bob Schieffer
Biography
Aaron Chimbel is an associate professor of professional practice in journalism at Texas Christian University’s Bob Schieffer College of Communication, where he has taught full-time since 2009.
"In an age of journalism demonization, this book is a tonic, a rich source of pride in the profession by some of America’s finest newsgatherers. It’s a book brimming with practical advice for journalism students and would-be reporters, but it’s also a wonderful reminder to those of us longer in the tooth that what we do, and what we train others to do, matters a great deal."
-Charles N. Davis, The University of Georgia, USA
