I have always been a person that could talk someone's head off for hours, about any and everything. I have always been one to know, what I like to call "dumb facts," small stuff that an average person wouldn't know or doesn't care about. Although oftentimes, I feel as if they should care about them. One of the main reasons I choose High Point University was because my freshman year was the premiere year of the Webb School of Engineering. Yes, I came to HPU intending to be a Computer Engineering major, isn't that something! From the end of high school up until the start of my time at HPU, the idea of becoming an engineer was waning, and I knew that a career in the field of communication was my true calling. I cracked four weeks into the school year and declared Media Production and Entrepunership as my first major, and now I am a Journalism major on the Broadcast track.
Why Journalism?
I didn't realize it until my late teens, but I have never really been afraid to speak in front of public audiences. I also have a niche for the truth. All that combined with my observations of the interconnectedness of the world made me want to be a public voice for all of the truths that society needs to be aware of. The main responsibility of a journalist is to uncover truths for the good of the people. One might think the word "uncover" only relates to government wrongdoing or whistleblowing, but it extends to entertainment, sports, business, and any sector of the world that people take an interest in consuming.
Douglass Cater, journalist and aide to President Lyndon Johnson, suggested that the press is a de-facto "Fourth Branch of Government." Although this is true, it's important to note that officially the press has no affiliation with the government, which is a good thing because it allows for the press to criticize the government more freely.
When I first started reporting, I was drawn to the entertainment world and celebrity gossip because of all the drama that encapsulated these people's lives. Even if it is a slow news day, I found that consumers of celebrity news even like to see what a famous person is eating that day. This sector of news always keeps you busy. Since becoming a journalism major, I've found that my path is taking me down the hard news route where I am reporting on bigger stories, whether that be on campus or nationally. Coming into this industry as a black man, I like to be a role model and voice for black viewers/readers, and black people who may want to come into the industry someday. Saying this, I like anchoring segments where I can highlight black achievements and figures, no matter how big or small.
What I Want to Learn?
In Never Stay Silent, I hope to learn more methods that I can incorporate to uplift black voices and voices that usually don't get mainstream recognition. By learning the history of the press and their innovations in this country, I want to make innovative strides from the foundations that the pioneers of early journalism set. Because this business of journalism and media are a topic that's discussed in this course, and since I have an interest in the business side, I want to take away some business practices that I can improve upon.
Check out my professional website
here!
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