What goes around might come around

Tim Nickens is the current editor of editorials for the St. Petersburg Times. It is apparent that working for the Times is his true calling because in 1983 he debuted as a reporter but left to pursue other interests. And in 2004 Nickens came back to the Times as an editor.

As Nickens sat down in a very poised manner in front of our class, he started talking about his career patters. He described his life as a reporter, state the facts and keep to the point. “Objectivity is a shield,” Nickens said. He became mortal when he expressed his insecurities about coming back to the Times as an editor. “I wasn’t sure I could do it,” he said.

Not only did Nickens share his vulnerability about doubting himself, he also lightened the room through humor. When he was about to answer a question a student asked, he said “I take requests.”

According to Nickens, newspaper articles are aimed to appeal to all the readers. On the other hand, editorials are targeted to a certain group of people. “You really aim at one person,”

It was a very refreshing experience to know, there are still some newspapers who value editorials. Editorials keep the readers thinking about current topics of concerns and challenges people to create change when necessary.


"Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him." Dwight D. Eisenhower

A New Chapter in a Reporters Life

Rosemary Goudreau is from Tampa and was the editorial page editor of The Tampa Tribune but got laid off about two months ago. She used to be the managing editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer and reporter for The Miami Herald.

On Jan. 14, Goudreau spoke to professor Gil Thelen Critical writing class. She started talking about her background in reporting and editing. Goudreau said a good editorial tells people about something they didn’t previously know. “Having something to say moves people internally,” said Goudreau.

According to Goudreau, one the pitfalls of writing editorial, opinions or columns, is that people sometimes don’t want to be told what to think. When writing and trying to convey your own opinion it is recommended to omit the word “I” and use the word “you.” “It gives the readers a call to action,” Goudreau said.

Goudreau said when writing an editorial the journalist is supposed to write the institutions voice. The key factor is to find a connection between the newspaper and readers. Even though the writer does not share the same values of the newspaper the writer has to voice the opinion of the owners and majority.

Goudreau elaborated about the difference between a reporter and a columnist by the following example:

Sports Reporter Vs. Sports Columnist
The reporter tells exactly what happened during the game and states all the facts.
The columnist writes about his/her point of view about that same game while adding some facts.

She said that in most ocassions the newspaper will send both a reporter and a columnist to cover the same game.

While Listening to Goudreau speak, I felt very uneasy because she got laid off even though she has a lot of experience. I am appalled that a newspaper who had an asset in their company, decided to terminate someone’s career. It makes me realize that all media is going through a new faze that no one can predict what is going to happen.

Vicki Chachere Life as a Former Reporter Turned into a Critical Writer.

Vicki Chachere is the news manager; her job is to tell the USF story. She used to be a reporter and an editorial writer for the Tampa Tribune from 2003-2008. Last week she spoke to our class about her transition from a reporter to a critical writer.

Chachere explained that a reporter’s job is to research and inform the public about the truth without adding personal opinions. But a critical writer informs people about the truth while adding their personal points of view. She believes editorial writers have the power to influence the public. Chachere said, she njoys being a critical writer because she can express her opinions.

“What you think may not be true,” said Chachere, because many people believe some things are true without even knowing the validity about that belief. Many people confuse general knowledge for true knowledge, in many cases they are wrong. According to Chachere, research is the best way to prove yourself right or even wrong. The important thing is to find out the truth.

When Writing editorials Chachere recommended not to write about topics that can cause an unwanted reaction. The two most unrecommended topics are abortion and spanking children as a form of discipline because the readers will bombard your inbox.Her advice to the class was to write about topics that would stir up personal emotion in yourself and the readers. “All viewpoints must be backed up by facts,” Chachere said. “Write about things you are passionate about.”

She also recommended the classroom to think outside the box when writing an editorial because many topics have already been covered. The key factor is to find a different approach to captivate the readers and to distinguish yourself from other writers.

When the classroom was having their editorial meeting, Chachere was very insightful on how to narrow to topic and make it your own. She gave a lot of positive feedback and helped the students. She gave the students starting points for their editorial investigation. She suggested putting sources from where all information was obtained to establish credibility with the readers.

The most important aspect is to make the editorial memorable whether it was for uncovering the truth or giving people another way of thinking about a specific topic. Personal style is very important, it will make your writing characteristic of who you are as a writer.