It's clique to say that I can't believe it's mid-August but I can't tell you how fast these last 2 months have been. Moving to Buffalo has been one of the best things I have ever done. I tell people I am thriving when they ask how I am doing because I actually think I am.
My graduation cap read: Peaking at every stage of life and I am taking on that challenge with my whole heart.
First off, thank you to my local Buffalo gals Miranda and Adri. If it wasn't for them I do not think I would be loving Buffalo as much as I do. They have introduced me to their friends and have really taken in me and showed me all the city has to offer. I would be so lonely if I didn't have them to start me off. Shout out to Greg (Miranda's BF) too because they have been my parents and have taken me everywhere with them. I love having these guys as my new Buffalo family.
Adult-ing is a word I use a lot. It means being and acting like an actual adult. I feel like a person doesn't actually become an adult until they get their first job. So I am adult-ing, and am not a college kid anymore, which I'm still getting used to.
I am apart of a program called JCP (Journalism Career Program). The company that owns Channel 7 is called Scripps and they partner with schools across the country to hire students right out of school to train/teach them how to be great reporters. This is the 3rd year WKBW has partnered with Syracuse University to hire 4 people (2 girls, 2 boys) to be Multimedia Journalists as employees for one year. The company pays for our housing and teaches us how to be the best reporters we can be! Yes this sounds like a dream because it is! I was so lucky to be chosen and I hope to make Syracuse proud!
Worklife
The first two weeks of work were extremely overwhelming for me. I am a news reporter/digital reporter for them. My position is a work in progress I like to call it because I think myself and the entire newsroom is figuring out exactly what I should be doing. I actually love that about my job. I get to create the kind of reporter I want to be and to really test and try out all different sides of reporting. And let's be real-- digital is the future so I love dipping my toes in both TV news reporting and digital reporting. Best of both worlds!
So starting out was exhausting and just a lot. I stayed every optimistic and literally tired to write everything down that I could so I remembered it and didn't have to bug other people. The amount I have learned already is actually astonishing.
The newsroom I work in is absolutely amazing. I don't think I could work with better people. Everyone is so nice and so willing to help. As I'm told, many newsrooms can be very competitive and nasty in a way because of the nature of the business, but I can honestly say Channel 7 is the complete opposite. People really want to see everyone around them succeed and as a newbie, I feel like that is the best atmosphere to be in.
Stories:
I have covered a very wide range of stories-- I love that because I learn something new every story. I think that is another reason I love journalism so much is that I am constantly learning something new or just more on a topic.
My Facebook page has all of my stories but here are some of my favorite ones!
Taste of Buffalo: The largest two-day food festival in America! I spent the entire day walking around the Taste thinking of and creating story ideas. I made 3 total digital videos that day by just using my cell phone and a phone stabilizer. It didn't even feel like I was working. Here is my Guy Fieri moment:
Drowning Victims Memorial: I created this video just 10 days after starting work. It was an extremely emotional day and video to shoot, but it was very important. Not only the message that was shown but just the power of how one video can really make an impact. The video was viewed by over 40K people. This was when I realized how important a digital reporter can be and how a video -- when done right -- can be powerful for the whole community. Shout out Josh Bazan for showing me the ropes and filming most of the video, all I did was edit! Great learning experience in the beginning:
City Peace Walk: This story is the "hardest" news story I have done. The east side of Buffalo has experienced gun violence in heartbreaking numbers this summer. I was supposed to cover the Erie County Fair but I am so grateful to have covered this important event: For the story visit: https://www.wkbw.com/news/city-peace-walk-on-genesee-street
I loved covering the Eden Corn Fest, Ken-Ton Closet, "Flagman", and Camp Good Days and a few others! Check out all my stories here: Rebecca Thornburg
Becka.
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