I am a reporter at the NBC affiliate in Bakersfield, KGET-TV. Every day I wake up well before the sun even shows signs of rising (2AM) and head to the job I pinch myself each day for even having. As the morning live reporter, my stories are different from those of a dayside reporter. I plan them in advance, which means I'm always digging for unique angles to stories impacting people in Kern County. At the grocery store, gym or wherever I am, I talk to people and ask them for ideas. News is what people are talking about so how would I know what to cover unless I talked to the people I'm hoping to inform?
This weekend I updated my website with some of my new work. I can't believe I've already been in Bakersfield four months! Time is flying by. Here's a little montage of some recent live shots and stand-ups:
I've already done some stories I am proud of, but recently I looked into a team called "MET" or the Mobile Evaluation Team. The MET team responds to "5150" code calls, a call from law enforcement indicating a person is suicidal. The MET team works to bring that person from their lowest point to a place where they can turn their life around, simply with words. I interviewed a woman who says she was saved by MET four years ago. She opened up to me and I hope the piece sheds light on the impact of mental illness and the need for it to be addressed regularly in our society. Here's the story:
I am certainly keeping busy, learning something every day and can feel myself improving. As always, I love to hear feedback about my work, so please send your thoughts my way!