Yesterday, I was sent out on assignment with another reporter from the paper to find out what happened in a homicide that occured the night before. I felt like I was a police investigator as details were unknown and so we had to go to the crime scene, interview neighbours, friends, police, and visit the highschool where the victim attended.
It was a really sad story and I just didn’t feel right being amongst every major media station in Vancouver trying to get some “good quotes” and names to make for a complete story. As a reporter your job is to get the story, seek out what happened and get the facts, yet I felt as if I was prying into their lives and getting involved in something that was none of my business. I found that it was just too real for me. I imagine if you are in reporting for a significant amount of time, you have seen it all and such stories can become somewhat routine.
Actually, it is kind of an interesting thought about careers in general. If we do find ourself at a point in a career when things cease to have emotion, passion, and no longer challenge us, is this perhaps an indication that it is time to change what we are doing?
I am not sure, what do you think? Leave your comments.
-Sean