Their are aspiring journalist all over the world and to become a well known one, you have to climb to the top and give it your all. But it doesn’t come easy. Yes you may have the passion and the curiosity, but many others have that. What makes a journalist unique is the way they express themselves in either their articles, TV performances, or even photography; in their words.
Stephanie Simao was once a hopeful journalist that for a time (1999-2012) was in the broadcast aspect of it all. She went to school in Texas to study in the communication field even though she came from New York. She had once applied to the University of South Florida, but the University had more to offer and first hand experience professors that were currently in the field. Before the age of 10 she wanted to be a veterinarian, but the passion for writing had always been there. One of her favorite and funniest topics she had to cover was a dog show in Louisiana in 2001 ( within her second year in the field). She got to experience both her passions at the same time: animals and journalism.
“Being a reporter is easy, being a storyteller is hard,” Stephanie Simao stated during her interview. Anyone can write story or say something in front of a camera, but the aspect that gives the subject life is the story behind it.
Stephanie Simoa found her niche within journalism after many years of experience. In this case, she found it because of an old boyfriend of hers that was a police chief. That is where she fell in love with investigating crime. But everyone is different, finding the one thing you are good at and then sticking with it is your best bet in finding you niche. It is much harder to force yourself to do something you know nothing about than a topic you are passionate about or a style of writing.
Back in her broadcasting day in CNN affiliate, Fox News affiliate, CBS 12 News affiliate, etc. she was well known in the streets. She openly admitted that the best part of journalism for her 10 to 15 years ago would have been the recognition and the perks that came with it. After reflecting in her older age she realized that her favorite part of journalism is “the great humbling honor to have regular people share their stories with you.”
Although Stephanie Simao has been in the field of journalism since 1999 she never got to where she aspired to be since she was young. She had always envisioned herself in Miami’s Channel 10 News. Although she left the journalism world in 2012 because she didn’t want to be in the spotlight anymore; she could still remember most of the stories she has covered over the years on air.
The journalism now is not how it is before. You would need to go out and get three to five different sources and now by just going to a search engine everything needed can be found on the internet.The concept of journalism was to go find what is real, to go to the core of the situation and get answers and discover even more than what they thought they could. The last thing Stephanie said was some advice to the future journalist. “ When you get to where you are going to work, find the oldest person there and learn everything there is to know from them.” she believes she was lucky enough to have worked with 50 and 60 year old journalist and learn what she knows now from the best.
The Squeeze 