Work ethic and perseverance are key to succeeding in the journalism industry as a woman, four Valley broadcast journalists told an audience at the first Must See Mondays event of the fall semester at the Walter Cronkite School.
Clara Colmenero of Univision, Kris Pickel of CBS 5, Kim Tobin of ABC 15 and Linda Williams of FOX 10 formed the panel, providing advice and sharing personal anecdotes about their careers and what it’s like to be a woman in the journalism field.
They came together to inspire young journalists and instill in them the idea that their work ethic is what will determine their success, not their gender or appearance.
In today’s ever-changing journalism industry, the number of women in the field is rapidly increasing; and jobs are given based on talent, ability, and worthiness, not on gender or personal appearance as in the past, the panelists said. They discussed how for anyone to be successful they have to have passion for what they do.
“You have to have a bottom line at the end of the day that sustains your soul,” Williams said.
Pickel said that in the workplace, being a woman doesn’t mean one gets special privileges.
“Just because you are a woman — don’t expect to be treated like a lady,” Pickel said.
She and other panelists said they faced challenges working as women in journalism. Pickel shared a recent case where she was told she could not go on a case because she was female, but she calmly stood up for herself and got to cover the story.
The panelists told the audience not to shy away from challenging stories, and encouraged them to choose those stories to cover.
“You better be willing to work harder if you want to be an anchor,” said Tobin, a reporter and anchor. “You are going have to work your butt off.”
All of the panelists said journalists cannot be focused and knowledgeable on just one side of media, but should instead understand many aspects. They each shared how they help produce, edit, and do many other functions in addition to reporting.
Colmenero made it clear that aspiring journalists could not rely on good fortune for success in the field.
“It’s not luck, it’s perseverance,” she said.
Contact the reporter at Alexis.Ramanjulu@asu.edu.
