Friday and a new beat

I switched beats this week. I want to focus more on health. I also want to focus on news reporting and hopefully, tackle features later. The community beat seems like a better opportunity for an intermediate or advanced writing class. So far, I like my decision.

I wrote an article yesterday about BJC HealthCare, one of the largest healthcare providers in the state. Employees working less than 24 hours a week may be losing their health benefits. Although BJC has not officially confirmed the claim, a few current BJC employees shared the story with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Even though the information is unconfirmed and the reason for the changes is unclear, I started thinking about the wider healthcare ecosystem. As the roll-out date for the new healthcare system approaches, will more employers start making changes like this one? Is it an isolated incident or part of a larger movement toward the exchange program? I need to read Zach Mattson's navigator article again and pay closer attention to the details. I also need to immerse myself in the Affordable Care Act politics brewing in Washington so that I can understand the healthcare situation better.

I spoke with my mom last night and she made an excellent point. Any large change, especially on a national scale, takes time. This transition will be long. There won't be some magical overnight shift to automatic coverage for all (as much as I'd like for that to be the case.) She's right. At it's best, this will be a long, arduous process toward more accessible and affordable care.

Health benefits for part-time BJC HealthCare employees could be cut

An important article

When I was in high school, my cousin decided he didn't want to live anymore. He left a suicide note for his parents and his girlfriend and disappeared. The police found his car, but not his body. For nearly a year, we lived in a state of shock. Then, in the fall, his parents got a call. A hunter had found his body in the forest and a gun lying nearby. I remember my parents coming into my room to tell me. I had just come home from a social and remember feeling so much confusion. I couldn't understand why my oldest cousin had chosen to walk into the woods and end his life. Suicide is a decision that does not provide answers, only more questions. It leaves more hurt than almost any other option and it takes years, even decades, for family members to find joy again.

When I hear stories about suicide, my first question is always "Why?" I wonder, would the person have continued living with more friends, more support, less depression? How could the story have a different ending? Everyone in my family misses Justin at different moments and every year around the time he disappeared, we collectively wonder what we might have done differently to change the outcome. But, mostly we are filled with sadness for a life mostly un-lived and a family member we no longer have.

Usually, the Missourian doesn't report on suicide. But, because of the unique circumstances, they decided to report this story and I'm glad they did. When I read about Jacob Meadows' life this week, I thought a lot about Justin. There are many similarities in their stories: youth, awkwardness, fragility, depression. And, again, that question lingers. Why?

After tragedy, Southern Boone marching band plays on

Wednesday GA

I left the Missourian on Wednesday night around 7:30 p.m. It was dusk and the moon was bright. As I biked past the MU power plant toward my house, I felt proud and tired. I had just written two articles. They weren't earth-shattering. They were both just informative news pieces. But, I started and finished them within a 10-hour work day.

I become an expert on an event called Food Dialogues that would discuss farming and animal welfare. Then I became an expert on the 911 tax. I started to realize that becoming an expert on a topic that fast makes it difficult to remember other things.

I also started to wonder how I would be able to keep so much information in my brain. But, I think the process will become natural as I practice doing background research, interviewing, writing and accuracy checks. In the meantime, I expect to be frazzled after GA and probably unable to focus on anything besides eating and laughing with my housemates.

My articles from Wednesday are below:

Event seeks to further understanding between farmers, consumers

City, county announce transition dates for Public Safety Joint Communications

Thinking like a journalist

The lessons are finally starting to sink in. I find myself dreaming about frames. Well, not every night. It was just one time last week right before the full moon. I tossed and turned all night and started to realize that all these articles I've been reading and all these lectures I've been attending are starting to reverberate within my mind.

They're making me a better writer. I can feel myself connecting with my own voice. And, I'm also thinking more critically about the way I introduce, structure and build characters and events in my articles.

I sweat through every word, turning it over and examining it to see if it will express my meaning. I have never considered my words so carefully. I am just at the beginning of this journey, but it feels good knowing that I'm beginning to think like a journalist.

for consideration

Hannah Baldwin and I are going to work together on our Missourian research project. We're looking at metrics and how they affect decision-making at the paper. Today I found an interesting article by Ethan Zuckerman while researching our topic in Google Scholar: Seredipity, Echo Chambers, and the Front Page.

I especially liked his point about community newspapers sacrificing local opinion on national and international news for community-only reporting.

good media from 9/6/13

I want to be able to report stories like this: How I Got Into College

Localizing Syria

When the chemical attacks happened in Syria, my first question was, "Why is the Missourian not covering this?" The very logical response from the ACE at the time was, "We're a community paper and people come to us for events in this community, not news they can get from national media." It made sense.

About a week later, I received an email from Stephanie Ebbs suggesting I try to localize Syria for Columbia residents. She gave me the name of an MU student from Syria, Hany Hawasly, and an MU professor who specializes in human rights.

I contacted them and began the process of interviewing. Over the course of the past week and a half, I interviewed two Syrian people. Only one of whom would go on the record, but that was two more Syrians than I had ever met (in my life), so I was thrilled they gave me their time.

I heard about their families, their studies and how difficult it is to be a graduate student with all of the instability and chaos back home. I tried to imagine what it would be like to see all of the violence on a television screen, but be completely unable to help because of the distance. I also wondered how they ever focus on their studies. I think my mind would wander and create all sorts of what-if scenarios. I never did hear from the professor and I probably should have tried calling. Next time.

I learned a tremendous amount from the reporting experience. Since I only had one voice to quote, my editors decided it would be strongest as a Q & A. I wish I had thought of it. They were right. It was much stronger as a Q & A. So, after two hour-plus interviews with Hany and several emails, texts and phone calls, I submitted the article.

MU student Hany Hawasly describes his experience as a Syrian in Columbia

MU's journalism school picked it up and posted it on their website as well: Missouri Photojournalism Master's Student Describes his Experience as a Syrian in Columbia