#MediaMonday: People, Not Things
Good Morning Everyone,
Years ago, when learning about broadcast journalism education, I was sitting in Dave Davis' classroom and looking at the posters on the wall with little phrases adorning them. These phrases stood out to be as they addressed a variety of journalism concepts for students, many of which I was unfamiliar with as I saw the posters for the first time. I loved their place in his room as a constant reminder for concepts that should never be forgotten. After teaching my first batch of introductory broadcast students, I started making posters for my walls that directly addressed problem areas with my students, which includes one that is still there to this day. It reads, "Tell the stories of people, not things".
As we enter the holiday season and my broadcast students are in their final production cycle, an inevitable story topic is pitched: THE CHRISTMAS FEATURE!
While these stories always seem fun on the outside, there seems to be perpetual flaw within the planning as student journalists pitch this idea. Students always see the thing, not the people. They focus in on an event for people instead of creating a story about people. While this isn't inherently a holiday-related issue, these stories do seem to have their yuletide appeal.
So then how do we as advisors guide our students in a positive direction where they are finding stories about people, not things? Even for veteran broadcast students, this concept can still be difficult to grasp. We, as people, connect with stories through the lives of others. We make an incredible number of decisions in our lives based almost solely on how well we connect with words from and about other people. This concept is true of a variety of things from religion to shopping to politics to career choices. People connect to people.
Especially in times when emotions are charged, it becomes especially important to encourage our students to tell the stories of people, not of things. Ask your students:
Who is this story about?
Who is this story for?
Who will learn from this story?
Who will be changed by this story?
I tell students this all the time, but I truly have been changed by the work of students. Stories (in both journalism and film forms) have forever inscribed their mark on who I am. Stories change people, but they must be the stories of people. Real people. Doing real things. Told in a truthful way.
So the next time a Christmas story is pitched your way, I encourage you to ask your students:
Will this story change people or will this story be a commercial?
Talk to you soon,
Josh Cantrell