In our new blog series, “Getting There,” we ask professionals and experts what it takes to be successful and what kinds of advice they can offer. And, as we believe the concepts of curiosity, creativity and communications are vital to contributing to the success of any endeavor, we are also interested in knowing which they have utilized most often and how.
Bob Kealing
WESH -TV, Orlando, Florida
Bob Kealing is a three-time Emmy award-winning journalist and reporter at WESH-TV in Orlando. He is author of the books: "Kerouac in Florida: Where the Road Ends” (and, he is co-founder of the Jack Kerouac Writers in Residence Project of Orlando), “Tupperware Unsealed: Brownie Wise, Earl Tupper, and the Home Party Pioneers” (Sony Pictures has picked up the rights to “Tupperware Unsealed” with Sandra Bullock playing Brownie Wise) and “Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock.”
He is also currently writing a book about Elvis Presley and his barnstorming trips through Central Florida.
How did you get your start?
I was actually lucky enough to have a full-time job before I graduated William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. I started out at a small station in Topeka, Kansas. Before that, I was working in a cable station, something akin to a Channel 13, in my college town. I was able to get very practical experience on real professional equipment.
There was a new startup station in Topeka right before I graduated, so I was lucky enough to get a full-time job: a one-man band, what they called a VJ job, right out of college.
Have you always been interested in journalism?
Definitely. Words, pictures, stories. I’ve always been really interested in that. This area, especially Central Florida, is such a fertile area for lore, history and certainly, news. This is a big, big, news town. People say that Florida is weird. But, I have a response to that. We have Open Records Laws and we’re very lucky we do. Because of that, we find out the weird stuff. I believe it goes on all across the country, it’s just that in Florida, we find out about it. Other states, other places, they’re keeping that information behind closed doors. So, I think we’re fortunate in the sense that we get to find out all the weird stuff. I’m of the belief that it goes on everywhere and in every state.
What kind of advice do you have for aspiring journalists?
I would say to make sure you love it. Because, if it’s just the idea that you want to be on TV or you want to see your name on bylines, but you’re not really willing to put in the work day in and day out, it’s probably not the business for you. If you’re not willing to sacrifice some weekends, if you’re not willing to work a holiday or two or three or 20, and you’re not willing to move, this probably isn’t the profession for you. But if you have an innate curiosity about people, if you like to meet people, if you like to listen, it’s a great field. It’s fun.
The line is so blurred anymore with new technology and media. When I was starting out, there were strict lines between print and broadcast. It was kind of these parallel lines. Today, the Web gives younger people and students an opportunity for a new way into the business. But, I would say that you need to make sure that you’re actually out investigating and doing the work of journalism, not just aggregating, which means that you’re in the air-conditioning and taking in what other people report. Because, I don’t think you’re getting the full threshold of the experience with doing it that way.
Tell me about curiosity? How do you use curiosity?
Curiosity is a gift. It’s one of those things where it can you lead you in so many interesting places if you’re willing to do the work and follow your curiosity. I think that’s the key to the books that I’ve written. The books that I write are on subjects I’m curious about. The umbrella for that is pre-Disney Central Florida and the history of the area. There is this sense that nothing happened here before the theme parks came to town and nothing could be further from the truth.
So curiosity is a gift. It’s a great thing. And, as a journalist and storyteller, it’s an essential ingredient to have.
No comments:
Post a Comment