Progress?

Christmas was fun, but a little short. I was able to get a ride to and from home... thanks Jake and Kristin.

One thing really struck me on my ride on Interstate 94: the expansion of retail. There were so many outlet malls and specialty stores and big box stores that weren't developed the last time I rode through.

I began to wonder... were these new stores necessary? Is there any reason for needing one more Gander Mountain that's 5 miles closer than the other one? Can't we pretty much get everything we need at a Target or Wal-Mart? Maybe I'm overworked and underpaid, but I can't understand how some people have the extra time and money to spend at these new stores, and I don't see what makes these new stores so special. It's almost their "newness" alone that attracts shoppers. Maybe there are lots more people who are richer and a lot more bored than I. If that's the case, I'd say they'd be better off spending their money taking a vacation to a different country, maybe learn a different culture... that would be more worthwhile.

I understand that most business models have some sort of growth plan. And I understand that a lot of people's jobs are dependent on growing sales. But I fear that we're going too far as an economy to make consumers buy things that are really unnecessary, to the point where everyone is going to be sorely in debt.

A couple days after Christmas, I was watching CNBC (which is ubiquitous around my mom and stepdad's house during the day), and the anchors were complaining that retail sales this holiday season were ONLY up 6.6 percent, instead of 8 percent like last year. Now I'm no economist, but why can't we be satisfied with a 6 percent growth? Can't we have a system that doesn't force us to BUY BUY BUY? There's got to be some breaking point eventually, and I'm guessing by that point the ice caps will have melted from our selfish consuming ways.

Wal-Mart

I shopped at Wal-Mart today for the first time in God-know's-when. I don't shop there anymore after all the hoopla about Wal-Marts destroying mom and pop stores and its contribution to sending jobs overseas. Not that I'm against outsourcing, but it's kind of interesting because Wal-Mart used to be proud of its "Made in America" products.

Anyways, just walking through the store is pretty depressing. All the stores are such a carbon copy of each other, and there's something about the lighting and the colors that's really unappealing.

But I realized something as I was standing at the checkout ... the types of people that shop there are the ones I don't see on a day-to-day basis. They might be less educated, have less money, be not very good-looking. But one thing's for sure: these people are normal. They are in the majority. And many of them have problems, whether it be money problems, mental problems, medical problems, or something else.

And working in TV, I feel like I've been living in a bubble, sheltered from the realities of everyday people. Sure, we don't make that much money in the business, but I feel like we act richer than we actually are. Most of us have a bachelor's degree, and we tend to discredit viewers who call in and are less intelligent than us. We also tend to put people on who sound good, or are important for some reason (which in some ways is understandable... you don't want some bumbling idiot who can't put a sentence together on the air). But I feel like we really don't talk to average, everyday people very often unless they do something out of the ordinary.

And we probably don't put on any poor person on air unless they've committed a crime. And even then, it's not like they have time to argue their case.

Then the case becomes... if there are so many of "those" people out there, is what we're covering really relevant to their lives? We spend a lot of time covering crime, but does that really help anyone out (execpt in the cases where someone is on the loose)? Are we doing anything to solve the problems of most people? Do we care about their problems?

Maybe that's not our task as the media. Maybe our task is just to report on the things that people are talking about. But do we know what people are talking about? I'm guessing most of us think we're average people who know what people are talking about. But for me, I can go a day or two without talking to anyone and be completely out of the loop of local news. And that seems scary to me.

It's so hard as a TV station to really get out in the community and talk to everyday people, because we have deadlines to deal with, and after quickly shooting video and interviews we have to be at the station to write and edit the stories. We don't have much time to talk with people we don't know. So we really don't know what's going on unless different organizations and people contact us first.

Which goes back to something I said earlier... when a random person calls in with a story idea or a complaint, often times there's a feeling that this person knows less than us, so we tend to shun them. Believe me, there are a lot of people who call in with ridiculous things to say, but I get worried sometimes that the right kinds of people aren't calling in with their complaints. And maybe they're too busy with their problems to contact us.

Which leads me back to Wal-Mart... why would so many people shop here after hearing all the stories about hurting small businesses and American jobs? It's because they don't have the money to care about that sort of thing. They have enough of their own problems to deal with, and if they can save money while shopping, then they'll try to do so as much as possible.

Now I'm not trying to put down the less fortunate in this post, or trying to put myself on some sortof pedastal. I'm trying to bring to light the fact that most of us tend to stay within our socioeconomic bubbles and don't know what life is like for the others. Maybe if we did know, we'd be sympathetic enough to work towards solutions that deal with their problems. If we turn a blind eye to the problems of others, things will only get worse for all of us.

Condoms

Right now, this is the number one most e-mailed article on BBC News' Web site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6161691.stm

And the lead paragraph from the story:
A survey of more than 1,000 men in India has concluded that condoms made according to international sizes are too large for a majority of Indian men.

I imagine that most people around the world would laugh when they first read this article, which is probably why it's the most popular right now. I admit I had to snicker when I saw the title, but in all honesty this is a serious problem.

India has the highest number of HIV cases of any nation, and condom use has proven to be enormously effective in reducing the spread of HIV in places like Thailand. When condoms don't fit properly, they break or fall off, and don't do what they're intended to do.

So remember, wrap it up, and keep it real. Peace.

It's getting better all the time

I have a new computer! That might mean I'll actually keep a more timely blog, but don't count on it just yet.

Things have gotten a little bit better lately at work... There was a two-week period where I was sick and falling behind because I missed work, and it was getting a little too stressful for me to handle. I changed my schedule now so I have more time at the end of the day during the week to put things together, which I think has helped. Plus, I get to sleep an hour later, which is good in some respects.

The weekend shows have been running pretty well, but I'm still not at the point where I'm completely comfortable. I still feel like I'm scrambling to get things done at the end, which can be really stressful. It's probably a matter of time-management, which I'm still not quite sure I'm doing wrong. It's tough, because there are so many things I have to keep track of, and if I forget about one detail, it can make for a bad moment on air. That's something that experience can only improve.


I think I had an epiphany the other day that sort of explains my situation: All my life, at least throughout my time in school, I've succeeded by being booksmart. But now that I'm out of school, I can't necessarily rely on that anymore. This job requires a different type of smart that I'm still trying to figure out... and it can be really scary sometimes. This job is more about organization and thinking quickly... two things that aren't necessarily required when doing homework or a research paper.

Which gets me to thinking... should I go back to school? I've known ever since I graduated and took on this job that I would eventually go back to school and get my Master's/PhD. It was only a matter of when, because I know I can succeed in the world of academia.

Now, I'm thinking of going back to school sooner rather than later. I just don't think I can wait several years to move up in the TV business when I know I can better contribute to society as a researcher and eventually a professor. As I said before, I think the world of academia would be a better use of my talents. I feel more comfortable when I can show off my knowledge, and I think a job teaching at the college level would be more fulfilling than what I'm doing know. I've noticed ever since I took my internship in London that I feel better when I can teach someone how to do something... whether it be how to use a certain computer program, or when I was helping my Ukranian host mother learn some English phrases... I feel good that I helped someone and also that I could show off my knowledge.

That doesn't mean I won't value my time right now at my current job, and I think this job will help me get better organized and I can draw on my experiences now to help me in my future academic path, whether it be in mass communications, public policy, history or political science.

I would be lying if I said there weren't other factors involved... money is one of them. I don't think most people know that the broadcast business is such a low-paying profession, unless you've been working in it for a long time. That being said, it is also a very rewarding job. But I don't think I can wait long enough in this business to move up to where I can feel comfortable financially if I know I can go back to school and work my way towards a better-paying and more satisfying job.

Another factor involved... the hours. Right now, I probably have some of the worst hours in the working world. I know I won't have that job for the rest of my life, and I knew what the hours would be when I took the job, but it's still tough nonetheless for me right now. It's really put a strain on my relationships, especially with my girlfriend. It's so hard to find time for people anymore, and the time I do spend with friends always seems rushed. I think going back to school would get me back to a more normal schedule, and if I go back to UW, I'll basically be on the same schedule as my girlfriend. Plus, I'll have more time off to see my family.

So, my plan now is to go to grad school starting in fall 2008. That gives me plenty of time to prepare for the application process, and it gives me more experience working in my field. And hey, maybe in a few months, I'll start to really like this job and want to keep doing it. I really want this weekend show to succeed with me at the helm, but at the same time, there are many negatives to the job. However, I've been hearing a lot of positive feedback about the show, and that really keeps me motivated. I know there's always room for improvement, and maybe one day I'll feel comfortable enough to have a stress-free (or at least a reduced-stress) show.

I do have a lot of respect for those who stick with the TV business... it's such a stressful and sometimes time-consuming job, but when things go right it can be a really rewarding experience.