Tag: journalism

In Your Backyard: A Collection

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It’s been, give or take, four-ish months since I graduated from the Broadcast Journalism program at Fanshawe, and since then, I’ve been combing through some of my old projects and assignments looking for things to post here.

At some point the other day it dawned on me that I hadn’t uploaded all of my “In Your Backyard” pieces to SoundCloud, even though it had been months and months since I had made them and had them broadcast on-air.

I had been uploading them regularly onto my account late last year, but somewhere along the way I ran out of free available minutes and was forced to stop. A shame. A travesty!

Well, ok, maybe not a travesty.

So anyway, about a month or two ago I sprung for a pro account on the website, bumping my available time up to 6 hours.

I could finally upload the rest! (Seriously, just 6 hours? C’mon guys. I’m paying $6 a month here..)

Below, in chronological order (by week of airing) are almost all the short docs I did for “In Your Backyard” (a current affairs show on the X) excluding a few which I didn’t like at the time, and still don’t today.

November 18, 2013

December 2, 2013

December 9, 2013

March 31, 2014

April 7, 2014

April 21, 2014

First Cast / Last Cast

After two years of being in the journalism program at Fanshawe College, I can finally look back at my time in it, and reflect. Reflect about what? Well, listening to my older newscasts, reflect on how far I’ve come when speaking into a microphone.

Being the digital packrat I am, I tracked down both my first cast done for the program (which was really a pre-recorded newscast for an assignment and never actually went on air) and my last newscasts done for the X this past March.

First off, the pre-recorded newscast from September 26, 2012.

 

And now a news update from 6:30am on March 14, 2014 (I would post the very last, done at noon with Emina, but I can’t find it on my computer! Of all the things!..)

 

It’s not the greatest clip, as I was still waking up. That being said, there still is a good difference (somewhat) between September 2012 me and March 2014 me.

I’m still in the midst of sorting through audio (LOTS OF AUDIO), files, and documents from my time in the program. There’s no doubt that more stuff will make its way up here.

Two Stories, One Day

Long time no post. Have been fairly busy this week with tests and assignments and all that good stuff. Managed to get my 2 original stories done in one day (which was my hope, but not what I expected.)

First off, Record Store Day is coming up this Saturday (April 20th) and many record stores in London are doing stuff to mark the day. I spoke to Blair Whatmore of Grooves Records in Downtown London to see what Grooves is doing for Record Store Day.

Second, a piece about the new London smoking bylaw that is going into effect starting May 1st. It prohibits smoking within 9 metres of park recreational areas, and the entrances to municipal buildings. I spoke to Linda Stobo, Program Manager for Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control at the Middlesex-London Health Unit *whew*, to find out why the bylaw was created and how it will affect children. NOTE: I did a streeter back in October about this very issue, back when it was still being kicked around in City Council.

That’s all for now! SCHOOLS DONE IN LESS THAN A WEEK.

I CAN’T WAIT.

Double Post!

Hello, been busy as all heck lately! This week and next is the final stretch of assignments and tests, hence I’ve been busy busy busy. Haven’t posted here since the 6th so figured I would post a quick update as to the kinds of nonsense I’ve been doing (because you all probably care so much.)

First, a quick wraparound (narration with clips) of an interview I did with friend and former photography prof, Craig Glover of the London Free Press. He photographed the World Figure Skating Championships for the paper this past March and I decided it would be a good topic to delve into.

Secondly, we were assigned a second Monitor show to do. Monitor is a little in-house radio program we do on our college’s online radio station. Basically it’s practice at producing and keeping time. I got #3 (out of 4) so I was assigned the task of doing a 3 minute sports piece, and a 4 minute ‘life’ piece. Ironically though, my ‘life’ piece is dealing with the grief of losing a pet, and how to cope with the loss. Thank you to those who I interviewed for allowing me to take time out of their day for such a touchy and emotional subject.

Hope you’re all having a good week!

Journo School

Being in the journalism program for two semesters now has made me realize one thing. Sleep is something you dream about when you’re awake. Dreaming when you’re asleep? Who has the time for that? Who even has the time to lie down and plan on getting a good nights rest? It’s never going to happen.

The late nights brought on by my part-time job and school itself have done havoc on my sleep schedule. “I think I’ll go to bed at a reasonably early time tonight” I tell myself. I turn off the lights, get ready for bed.

Time: 11:30PM

*Toss*

*Turn*

Time: 2:30AM

Oh boy, I have an 8AM class this morning. Wonder if I’ll wake up in time to make it there..

Time: 9:30AM

Well, guess I didn’t make it to that class.. Again..

That’s been the pattern somewhat for the last few months. I’ve gotten my work done, don’t get me wrong, but my presence in the classroom is something of an on again off again type deal. I just imagine other people in my class, seeing that I’m – again – not in class, mutter to themselves “does that guy ever come?”

But I guess that is what happens when you take journalism; late nights, early mornings, tired eyes. I just don’t know how I’m going to adjust. I’ve gone the past many years going to bed too late and waking up too early and it’s taken its toll. It seems now my brain wont wake up unless I’ve gotten exactly 8 hours of sleep, which is a problem if I don’t fall asleep until 3 and have to wake up at 7.

But I digress.

Stress is part of this job. These past few months have been incredibly stress-filled, and many others in the program would likely agree. “OH CRAP THAT’S DUE THIS WEEK?” we collectively yell. We were all too busy working on the assignments that were due last week. This happens on a weekly basis as you can imagine.

This though is the last stretch. The final 2 and a half-or so weeks until we can breathe easy for the summer. That is, unless we’re freaking out about finding a job, in which case the stress continues!

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