On October 11, 2016 Mrs. McMillan's Journalism I/II students were honored to host an interview with ABC27 News' Day Break anchor, Ali Lanyon. She was extremely positive and a pleasure to have in the classroom. When faced with the questions provided by the Journalism students, she answered all with poised ease.
Ali shared how she began to pursue her career in seventh grade when she did her school's announcements over the PA system. From there, she progressed to participating in her school's newspaper, to internships, and then on to college to major in Broadcast Journalism. She shared with the students how she believes internships are the best way to get ahead in the industry. If you're wishing to pursue a career in media and journalism, she suggests taking time during your junior and senior years of college to take internship opportunities. ABC27 News' internship programs only accept students who receive college credit for the internship. Make sure to look into details like this when searching for a place to intern. She shared how the Journalism teacher, Mrs. McMillan, actually interned with her.
When asked about her favorite stories she's reported, she raved about all the things she loved about her job- in short, she's quite pleased with how her work goes. She describes herself as a very 'Type A' person who likes to stay organized, an important quality to have in her line of work. One of her favorite people to interview was the cast of Dancing with the Stars. Ali shared her experience of dancing with Val while on the set, describing him as "... the nicest, most down-to-earth person." Besides celebrities, she shared that she loves to interview people with amazing personalities, such as a late cancer patient whom she had become close with. Her favorite types of stories to report on are criminal cases and watching court cases unfold. She created the Midstate Mystery segment of ABC27, sharing cold cases with the public.
Ali also shared some tips on journalism during her time with the class. She shared that journalism, especially broadcast journalism, is not for the feint of heart. It requires the ability to work in all weather conditions and under harsh pressure and deadlines. It's a career that you have to want and love and it's completely worth it once you're in. When questioned about how she reports on topics she has little interest in, she stated that she tries to tell the story through a different person. Even if she doesn't have a connection to the topic, she tells it through the eyes of someone who does and finds the reasons why people really should care about the topic. Students also brought up the concept of using social media to share news, which Ali said is "the future of how people consume their news" and that it "must be embraced." Twitter and Facebook are creeping up and beginning to be viewed for news more than TV broadcasts. She also told the class a little insight on why things get aired when they do. Ali is soon doing a story on the upcoming Disney on Ice show at the Giants Center. This story will be shown in the morning, not at night. Why? Stories involving children, school, and fun activities like this are aired in the morning while kids are getting ready for school and parents are watching so that they have ideas on things to do.
One of the last topics mentioned during the class period was the current clown scandal. The original story, she shared, started when kids at a playground in North Carolina stated that there were clowns in the woods trying to lure them in. This was proven to be a hoax, but inspired people in other states to actually dress up as clowns and terrorize communities. Though she doesn't think they're going to be any real harm, she hopes it dies down soon because she knows of children who are afraid to even walk to the bus stop in the morning. I have to agree with her on that one.
A large thank you to Ali for sharing her tips and stories with the students! It was a wonderful experience that the students will never forget.
Ali shared how she began to pursue her career in seventh grade when she did her school's announcements over the PA system. From there, she progressed to participating in her school's newspaper, to internships, and then on to college to major in Broadcast Journalism. She shared with the students how she believes internships are the best way to get ahead in the industry. If you're wishing to pursue a career in media and journalism, she suggests taking time during your junior and senior years of college to take internship opportunities. ABC27 News' internship programs only accept students who receive college credit for the internship. Make sure to look into details like this when searching for a place to intern. She shared how the Journalism teacher, Mrs. McMillan, actually interned with her.
When asked about her favorite stories she's reported, she raved about all the things she loved about her job- in short, she's quite pleased with how her work goes. She describes herself as a very 'Type A' person who likes to stay organized, an important quality to have in her line of work. One of her favorite people to interview was the cast of Dancing with the Stars. Ali shared her experience of dancing with Val while on the set, describing him as "... the nicest, most down-to-earth person." Besides celebrities, she shared that she loves to interview people with amazing personalities, such as a late cancer patient whom she had become close with. Her favorite types of stories to report on are criminal cases and watching court cases unfold. She created the Midstate Mystery segment of ABC27, sharing cold cases with the public.
Ali also shared some tips on journalism during her time with the class. She shared that journalism, especially broadcast journalism, is not for the feint of heart. It requires the ability to work in all weather conditions and under harsh pressure and deadlines. It's a career that you have to want and love and it's completely worth it once you're in. When questioned about how she reports on topics she has little interest in, she stated that she tries to tell the story through a different person. Even if she doesn't have a connection to the topic, she tells it through the eyes of someone who does and finds the reasons why people really should care about the topic. Students also brought up the concept of using social media to share news, which Ali said is "the future of how people consume their news" and that it "must be embraced." Twitter and Facebook are creeping up and beginning to be viewed for news more than TV broadcasts. She also told the class a little insight on why things get aired when they do. Ali is soon doing a story on the upcoming Disney on Ice show at the Giants Center. This story will be shown in the morning, not at night. Why? Stories involving children, school, and fun activities like this are aired in the morning while kids are getting ready for school and parents are watching so that they have ideas on things to do.
One of the last topics mentioned during the class period was the current clown scandal. The original story, she shared, started when kids at a playground in North Carolina stated that there were clowns in the woods trying to lure them in. This was proven to be a hoax, but inspired people in other states to actually dress up as clowns and terrorize communities. Though she doesn't think they're going to be any real harm, she hopes it dies down soon because she knows of children who are afraid to even walk to the bus stop in the morning. I have to agree with her on that one.
A large thank you to Ali for sharing her tips and stories with the students! It was a wonderful experience that the students will never forget.