 "Photo: Victor Stephen Kamont")
 "Photo: Victor Stephen Kamont")
Editors note: This article has been edited.
A panel of six experts revealed how to successfully break into journalism, Thursday in the Great Hall.
The biggest tip of the day? “An internship is the absolute best way in,” said Chris Ladesma, music editor for "The Simpsons."
The industry panel is one part of the several events hosted by the Media Arts Department, including student transfer events, the six panelists included two Pierce students.
Listing them in seated order from left to right there was Stacy Long, public relations professional. John Rogers, Associated Press; Susan Valot, Orange County reporter at KPCC 89.3; Chris Ledesma, music editor of "The Simpsons"; Laura Tate, Associate publisher/ Editor at The Malibu Times and Danny Margolies, executive editor at BACKSTAGE.
How they got their start:
As a student at Pierce, Long was editor-in-chief of the Roundup. She loved writing and talking. Soon after that she realized that the funniest opportunities were in a mixed group of people. Therefore PR was the route she went, to “the dark side of journalism,” said Long. “Get an internship for sure!”
Her first “real” job was obtained through an internship.
Originally from L.A., Rogers was a sports editor at North Hollywood High School, then started at CSUN, as an editor for the Sundial. Rogers got the most from his experience doing community news for Simi Valley Entertainment (which no longer exists). He became a late night editor for AP, where he has been for the last 23 years.
The Associated Press is the world's largest news organization that provides news to both radio and television.
AP has correspondenants all over the world, collecting news and are “often the first to break the story,” said Rogers. “AP is like the military.”
Valot started off at El Camino College as an editor. She then went to Cal State Fullerton and was hand picked to intern on the radio.
“It was flukey and lucky I fell into the radio, and stayed there,” said Valot.
Her internship was “hands on,” said Valot. “Which is the best kind.”
Growing up Ledesma wanted to lead a band, starting at Cal Arts as a conducting major.
“I had a deep love for music all my life,” said Ladesma.
He discovered music editing while at Cal Arts and he learned technological things such as composition of music out of a book.
Ledesma was working at Universal Studios as a tour guide at this time and created his own paying internship. He went to every stage at Universal for two years until “people got to know me,” said Ledesma.
One day he got a call saying one of the editors left Universal and they wanted a young apprentice. His hard work and dedication got him an apprenticeship with the Editor's Guild, and within one year he was promoted to editor.
Like that wasn’t amazing enough, soon after he got another call, an editor at Universal had too much on his plate. He then worked on the Tracy Almond Show.
“The last great variety show network television has had in many years,” said Ledesma.
The agreement was that if he took this job for half the salary the cartoon show would be his the next year. He agreed to this opportunity of a lifetime and now 454 episodes and 21 years later he is still the music editor for "The Simpsons."
“Do whatever it takes! Don't get discouraged, don’t compromise morals and values, but do whatever it takes,” said Ledesma.
Another former Pierce student, Tate took journalism classes and worked on the Roundup Newspaper. Soon after, the Malibu Times was looking for stringers, actually to replace Margolies, another one of the panelists.
Tate started writing and became assistant editor. Now six years later, she is associate publisher and editor with 2 publications.
“Show up do good work and have a good attitude,” said Margolies. “You’ll be noticed and kept for the job.”
The problem with this is that the “Internet doesn't make any money,” said Tate.
Journalists are contending with social media now more than ever, with the fact that people are using networks such as Twitter to get news out faster.
“It was a game changer definitely,” said Long. “You have to think way way out of the box.”
Be the first to comment on this article! Log in to Comment
You must be logged in to comment on an article. Not already a member? Register now