Media Mentoring Seminar Attracts Many Students
Nearly 60 people were on
hand
on M
arch
27 to hea
r four Van Dusen
siblings discuss their journeys as second generation journalists offer
advice, and share their thoughts on journalism today
Since the Media Mentoring Seminar was held in conjunction with
Algonquin College’s journalism and e-publishing courses,
participants were primarily from those classes. They listened intently
as presenters related the differences between journalism today and when
they first started out as journalists.
Referring to twitter and social media in general, Julie
not
ed th
at if
there’s anything wrong, it’s the speed with
which news
travels and the fact that it is almost impossible to correct an error.
"But" she said, "politicians do pay attention to social media." Other
comments regarding social media related to concerns about unedited
postings. Pnelists agreed that journalists should use it as just
one more source, not "the" source because, after all, it is not
journalism. Utube is valuable because the photos can be used in
mainstream media.
Peter Van Dusen said that the television station where he works, CPAC,
does not twitter or blog.
His brother Tom, a freelance writer, said he
doesn’t have time for social media.
As someone noted, in spite of
the popularity of social media only two per cent of the coverage of the
American presidential campaign was generated by blogs.
Algonquin professor Joe Banks pointed out that the old rules of
journalism are still being taught today - the importance of
accuracy and having someone else check your copy. "Please preserve
those things that work,: he pleaded. "Mainstream media is still asking
for them."
Other topics the panelists covered included "lessons learned", and "piercing officialdom"..
Tips from their many years as journalists were well worth hearing even for those who had heard them before:
No question is a stupid
question; never assume people don’t want to talk to you; if you
don’t ask you won’t get; always ask open ended
questions; go where the story takes you; don’t show what you know
- show what you can find out; prepare well for your interviews,
don’t take things for granted - always ask "is there anything
else I should have asked you?"; always have your antennae up for new
story ideas.
Between them, Julie, Peter, Tom and Mark have over 100 years of
media experience. Their father, Tom, ia former reporter, worked as a
political aide for 40 years on Parliament Hill. Their mother, Shirley,
a new member of the Media Club, is an accomplished artist.
Julie Van Dusen has worked for CBC in Ottawa on Parliament Hill for
nearly 20 years; Mark Van Dusen is Outreach Coordinator for the
Canadian Human Rights Commission; Peter Van Dusen is Executive
Producer/Anchor, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), and Tom Van Dusen
is a freelance writer.
The panelists were introduced by June Coxon and thanked by Henry Heald.
We all came away with the feeling that the event was well worthwhile
and were extremely pleased with the ample turnout and number of
questions. We not only had fun lending our experience and
expertise but also picking up some interesting insights about where the
future of the business lies.