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the worst assignment

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by henryhenry, Dec 28, 2006.

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  1. henryhenry

    henryhenry Member

    SMG interviews Eli Saslow. Is there anything more difficult than calling grieving survivors?

    http://www.sportsmediaguide.com/12282006-EliSaslow.asp
     
    henryhenry, Dec 28, 2006
    #1
  2. PeteyPirate

    PeteyPirate Guest

    Two words: Special Olympics [/speakingfromexperience]
     
    PeteyPirate, Dec 28, 2006
    #2
  3. lone star scribe

    lone star scribe Guest

    Sorry, FDP, Special Olympics doesn't compare. At least those participants are happy. As an AP staffer, I had to call parents whose sons were killed or MIA in the Gulf Wars. I'm still haunted by hearing fathers and mothers crying into the phone after I ID'd myself and before I'd ask the first question.
     
    lone star scribe, Dec 28, 2006
    #3
  4. fishwrapper

    fishwrapper Active Member

    My first job, while still in school, was to take faxed obits and confirm. Then type them up.
    (That was before doing horse agate in the evening).
    I would call the mortuary, give them our code and confirm death. If only family was listed on the fax, I would call the family. Not fun at 19 years old. I was a kid counseling people on some of their darkest days.
    (Some prank obits made their way into the paper.)
     
    fishwrapper, Dec 28, 2006
    #4
  5. Flying Headbutt

    Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

    Had no idea Saslow is a young kid. But he consistently writes great stuff in the Post. Every time I see a deep feature, his byline is there. I quickly became a fan.
     
    Flying Headbutt, Dec 28, 2006
    #5
  6. shockey

    shockey Active Member

    eli's a good, humble kid. nice to see. 8) 8) 8)
     
    shockey, Dec 28, 2006
    #6
  7. Garner

    Garner Member

    I did an internship once and my first assignment was a feature on the city's new weed inspector. It wasn't great, but I did learn a lot about noxious weeds.
     
    Garner, Dec 28, 2006
    #7
  8. henryhenry

    henryhenry Member

    i once tried to interview jim rice. can't be a worse assignment than that.
     
    henryhenry, Dec 28, 2006
    #8
  9. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Damn near everything on SMG is good, ditto here. How extraordinarily refreshing to read about a 24-year-old who sees great stories in prepland and has no desire to talk into a microphone full-time someday.
     
    playthrough, Dec 28, 2006
    #9
  10. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    Yes -- calling a school's athletic director to tell him his coach is dead.

    I had to do that twice, within a couple of years, when I was a young reporter.

    I'll happily not do that again. Ever.
     
    HejiraHenry, Dec 28, 2006
    #10
  11. Keystone

    Keystone Member

    Calling a coach and telling him that one of his players was found dead by police of an apparent suicide. Didn't get anything out of him because he got choked up very quickly. Didn't blame him.
     
    Keystone, Dec 28, 2006
    #11
  12. cougargirl

    cougargirl Active Member

    Another one is trying to discuss the loved ones of a missing person. Also, working with people who have life-threatening illnesses.
     
    cougargirl, Dec 28, 2006
    #12
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