I never imagined that one day, I’d be the guest speaker and the pros would be sitting on the newsroom couches with the staff.
But that’s what happened Friday afternoon. The SunSentinel sent a reporter and photographer and The Miami Herald sent a radio producer to our weekly meeting, just to see if Student Affairs would halt my Quixotic quest to volunteer as the UP’s adviser.
Nothing untoward happened, of course. Student Affairs backed down the day before, grudgingly allowing me on campus to talk about journalism. But Student media director Marti Harvey insists I'm a "guest speaker" and not a "volunteer adviser."
Whatever my title, I partook in a critique of the latest print edition. Then I led a critique of our recent online videos, which are produced in partnership with the student TV station.Throughout both critiques, Marti sat silently near the newsroom door. Except for her first week and my last, Marti had never attended an entire staff meeting before. But from now on, I’m sure my meetings will be monitored like an abusive father visiting his young children.
The TV critique proved why FAU needs experienced and unintimidated advisers.
I've never advised the TV station. Over the years, the student managers there have proudly proclaimed, "We don't do journalism." They essentially record infomercials for SG, administration, athletics, and student clubs. Sometimes they're paid to do so.
So while viewing two recent reports on student clubs, we noted some basic Ws that weren't answered. In the first report, a club called "Mission Green" never described what its mission is. In the second, the incoming president of the student chapter of NORML (National Association for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) was interviewed, but the outgoing president wasn't.
When I asked why, the station manager said the past president was indeed recorded. But a few days later, he changed his mind. So the manager deleted the footage. The ensuing conversation went something like this...
Why would you do that?
Because he asked.
And we always do what our sources ask? Even when they grant an interview and decide later they don't like it?
Well, yeah...
Why did he change his tune?
Because he's trying to get a job on campus and he thought the interview would be bad for him.
Why?
Because it's NORML, it's about marijuana.
Wouldn't that make a much more compelling story than what we just watched?
Finally, the manager and even our own reporter we sent to work at the TV station just conceded, "We don't want to be controversial."
I looked in Marti's direction, hoping for some backup. She said nothing.
Even during the print critique, the TV crew was suspicious of the latest issue's cover image, which portrayed FAU's brand-new president as a spider netting all sorts of financial perks – new car, $15,000 in moving expenses, golden parachute, et cetera ad nauseum.
"It's negative," the station manager said. He wasn't impressed with the story, either. That also was "negative."
Marti said nothing. Thankfully, the UP staff rallied to debate him.
Then I remembered a quote from Marti at my last staff meeting as a paid adviser. She was explaining why I needed to be fired and a full-time adviser needed to be hired...
We are devoting some time to moving Owl TV and Owl Radio forward with some initiatives that they have, and that's what this initial person will do. They will also have some input into advising at the UP.
Because I'm a little dense, it just occurred to me: None of Marti's "initiatives" are about journalism. She wants to buy $47,000 worth of scheduling software for the TV station and even more for brokered time on local cable TV.
But without improving the quality of the TV station's reporting, what is she really scheduling? And just what will cable subscribers be watching?
Those infomercials may lack basic reporting, but they do make FAU look good...
TOMORROW: Student Government supports me. Sort of.
So while viewing two recent reports on student clubs, we noted some basic Ws that weren't answered. In the first report, a club called "Mission Green" never described what its mission is. In the second, the incoming president of the student chapter of NORML (National Association for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) was interviewed, but the outgoing president wasn't.
When I asked why, the station manager said the past president was indeed recorded. But a few days later, he changed his mind. So the manager deleted the footage. The ensuing conversation went something like this...
Why would you do that?
Because he asked.
And we always do what our sources ask? Even when they grant an interview and decide later they don't like it?
Well, yeah...
Why did he change his tune?
Because he's trying to get a job on campus and he thought the interview would be bad for him.
Why?
Because it's NORML, it's about marijuana.
Wouldn't that make a much more compelling story than what we just watched?
Finally, the manager and even our own reporter we sent to work at the TV station just conceded, "We don't want to be controversial."
I looked in Marti's direction, hoping for some backup. She said nothing.
Even during the print critique, the TV crew was suspicious of the latest issue's cover image, which portrayed FAU's brand-new president as a spider netting all sorts of financial perks – new car, $15,000 in moving expenses, golden parachute, et cetera ad nauseum.
"It's negative," the station manager said. He wasn't impressed with the story, either. That also was "negative."
Marti said nothing. Thankfully, the UP staff rallied to debate him.
Then I remembered a quote from Marti at my last staff meeting as a paid adviser. She was explaining why I needed to be fired and a full-time adviser needed to be hired...
We are devoting some time to moving Owl TV and Owl Radio forward with some initiatives that they have, and that's what this initial person will do. They will also have some input into advising at the UP.
Because I'm a little dense, it just occurred to me: None of Marti's "initiatives" are about journalism. She wants to buy $47,000 worth of scheduling software for the TV station and even more for brokered time on local cable TV.
But without improving the quality of the TV station's reporting, what is she really scheduling? And just what will cable subscribers be watching?
Those infomercials may lack basic reporting, but they do make FAU look good...
TOMORROW: Student Government supports me. Sort of.
