Pluggin' Along...

It's been three days since I started my new job at WBIR. I spent yesterday getting taught how to use our editing program, Avid. Jim Martin, our chief photog, took me under his wing yesterday. He showed me how to use Avid while we edited a package for one of the anchors of our 4pm show, "Live at Five at Four." He spent a good 3 hours showing me how to capture video, how to work with video once it's digitized in the system, and all of the keyboard shortcuts.

Avid looks similar to the editing program we used at KOBI, but it operates differently. It's going to take trial and error for me to get the hang of it. I hope I learn sooner rather than later. What's reassuring is that another reporter who was hired just a month ago didn't know how to use Avid when he got here either. Today, he was showing me tricks and has picked it up over the last few weeks.

After our editing lesson, I went with Jim to be part of a two camera shoot with our morning anchor, Abby Ham, and the former Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina (not sure of his name). The Governor was in Knoxville speaking at a leadership conference and is the person credited with growing Charlotte. Knoxville is growing now so Abby interviewed the Mayor about his suggestions for helping development here.

I also got my computer log in yesterday. I took advantage of that and spent a couple of hours in the afternoon searching the web and trying to think of story ideas to pitch. It's required here for everyone to add one story idea to our assignment list everyday. From what I gather, everyone has been lax about doing this but the news director is cracking down. The story ideas can't come from the newspaper, and if they do they have to advance the story somehow. They also have to be able to be set up and done within a days notice. If not, then we have to ask permission to have extra time to set them up and actually do them. Not all of these stories on the list will be done, but they are good back ups in case there's not a lot of spot news for the day. Enterprising stories here is going to be a challenge for me for a number of reasons. First, I'm still not that familiar with the region and our viewing area so I have a lot of learning to do. Found out today that I can get paid overtime to sit in the newsroom, study up, and come up with ideas. Might take advantage of that next week. Second, it's going to take some time for me to discover where to find story ideas on the Internet, and I'm going to have to take every opportunity I can to talk to people who live here. I can't wait to start making contacts because in TV news, we rely so much on information from people we know in order to do our work.

Today, I went to a town about 2 hours from Knoxville called Cookville with the other new Multimedia Journalist, Steve. We worked on a story together about a National Guard veteran who has obtained documents and photographs of a WWII soldier who was killed in action. He's made it his mission to return these documents to the soldier's family only he has no idea where they are. He suspects the family is somewhere in the Knoxville area based on the information contained in the documents. On the drive to the story Steve and I talked about being new here. We discovered we have similar philosophies about news, and I think both of us are relieved we think similarly. Steve shot the video for the story today and he logged in on his camera as I drove us back to Knoxville. Back at the station, I captured our video and cut the soundbites out while Steve typed the script. He came to me and asked me to help him write since I was there for the interview. It made me feel good to be asked to do that, and he even used my suggestions. Steve edited the script and presented the story on air.

I finally got a work Blackberry today. It's a brand new smart phone, but it's going to take me a day to figure out how to use it. I'm an iPhone girl. I also got a gas card for our news cars, and got my business cards ordered. So, to recap, I've been familiarized with the computer systems, have computer access, a work phone, know what a day is like for an MMJ, and permission to drive and gas up the news cars. All I need now is to file a story.

I get to do my first story on Thursday. I will go out with our photog, Jim, again tomorrow. I will shoot the video. He will show me how to use our cameras and, I'm sure, give me shooting tips. I will do the interviews and write the scripts. Jim will help me edit since I'm still so new to Avid. Pretty sure I'll get to present the story live from one of our newsroom cameras tomorrow too. So, that means Thursday marks my debut on WBIR. I'm so ready to get out there and do a story. But, I'm nervous about editing. All this talk of doing my first story reminds me that I need to look for my IFB (ear piece so I can hear the director). Wonder where that is???

Anyway, I will file a story Friday on my own, but Jim will be there again for editing if I need him. I feel like I belong here, like I made the right choice, and I'm still trying to figure out how this station and me got connected. Sometimes none of this feels real. I can't believe I'm in TN working at this station, yet I'm still at peace with all this change. I'm the most calm I've been in two years. Strange, considering you'd think I'd be a stress case.

On a fun note, I'm going with people from work to Sundown in the City tomorrow night. Bands play for free in downtown's Market Square and you can hear the music from all the bars and restaurants. We're going right from the station to dinner and then to listen to music. I'm excited. It will be my first outing here. Friday I have plans with a reporter at another station who recently moved to Knoxville from Eugene, OR. Excited to finally meet her as we've only talked to each other on Twitter so far.

Things are going well here.....finger's crossed I get the hang of the new editing system!!!!!