As I'm sure you can guess, thats exactly what my editor told me yesterday.
"Its well written, but its never going out on the wire" she said. It just wasn't quite what our audience was looking for. I'll admit, I agreed with her assessment, my piece was written in more of a feature style instead of the breaking news format we usually publish, but thats what the event I covered catered to.
It was like an Oprah session with the CEO of the Washington Post Company, he chatted about his life, his family, and a little about his company, specifically The Washington Post newspaper. There was no handouts with new economic information, and no massive press packets with a transcript of exactly what he would say. It was, in fact, just a luncheon where major CEOs in the DC area could come together, eat, network, and generally have a couple hours off from their hectic life. So much for the Economic Club having something worthwhile for me to cover. I say this with the most respect of course, according to my editor, sometimes the events they hold are on the other end of the spectrum- so overwhelmed with information it is unbearable.
Before I get too deep in wallowing in my pity, let me say that the day was not all a drag, I could have been stuck at a boring event after all. Also, I think that based on the event I figured out the topic for my Term Paper. Donald Graham (the Washington Post CEO aforementioned) is the son of the late Katharine Graham, the first woman to be the CEO of a fortune 1,000 company, and the person who is attributed with giving The Post the status it has today. I still don't know how I'll frame the paper, but it could either be a profile on her, or a more specific look at how she handled The Post during the Watergate Scandal.
Either way, I'm sure it will be an interesting paper to write, though it will take a TON of research. Thats why today I'm planning on going and getting my reader card from the Library of Congress so I can go use their research/ study rooms once I start on the paper. I've heard they have a wonderful atrium with large windows, exactly the kind of place I study best.
I already have some information I can use from my research before the event yesterday and from what Graham spoke on at the luncheon. I have some pretty good quotes secured on my little tape from the event. Can't wait to transcribe that! *feigns excitement* But honestly though, I'm excited about the research and I've heard from the powers above (i.e. Greg and Terry--my profs here) that being motivated about the topic is the best way to secure yourself a good grade. A+ here I come!
So at the end of my day last yesterday my editor left me to close up the office as everyone else had left and I was still working on making the paper more economic related. Just as I shut off the lights and let the door close and lock behind me, I remembered that I didn't have my power cord for my laptop. Fail, woops, too late for me to get back in. (Which is why this is going up today instead of yesterday).
I'll blog later about the events to occur today...only time will show what is going to happen. As I type, I'm off to an event at the conservative Heritage Foundation about a famous economist named Hayek. In order to teach me more about the topic before I went, one of my editors sent me this video to give me background. Its surprisingly funny for something so economic.
I better head out now, as I may get caught up in the craziness by Union Station, apparently there is a suspicious package there...we'll see what I can figure out with my journalistic skills. :)
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