mediabistroEDU

Meet the Teachers: Victoria Reitano

Meet our Digital Production for Writers and Editors instructor, Victoria Reitano. Victoria has a front row seat at the Emmy-award winning talk show LIVE with Kelly and Michael. As a digital producer, she manages all social media and web content to complement on-air segments. Victoria is a passionate journalist and producer who has also walked the Oscar Red Carpet!

MB:  When did you realize you wanted to be in production?

VR:  In high school, when I served as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of my HS paper. I still have my first articles (and Letter from the Editor) framed at home. We were a really small staff, so I not only assigned and edited articles, but I also worked with InDesign to layout the articles. I was hooked. I wanted to know every part of it and understand how people read the paper. I began reading newspapers at 7 (The Sunday New York Times has always been a favorite of mine) and watching the news as I prepared for school at about the same time. I always knew I wanted to do something that allowed me to stand up for others — for a little while, I thought I’d be able to do that as a lawyer, but once I got into high school, journalism called my name. To me, journalism includes everything that is done to get the “story” out to the public. I’m a journalist first and I produce content — platforms don’t change how you do what you do. As a child, my little brother had a lot of learning disabilities and as I began to advocate for him — and tell his story — I realized that I wanted to speak for those who couldn’t. There’s a lot of negative feedback in this business, but when you get that one comment that thanks you for making an issue a priority, it’s priceless. 

MB:  What was your first big break? Was there a big production you worked on? How did it go?

VR:  My first big break was in 2011 when I was asked to speak on the TODAY show. I served as a managing editor for a college news website and I had started a Twitter chat and “Twitterista” writers — I call that my big break because that’s when I truly realized the power of social media. It went really well and, it made me realize that I could do anything I set my mind to…the title on my degree didn’t matter; it was what I did with the skills I had learned that mattered.  

MB:  Do you have a “dream” show you’d like to work on?

VR:  Good Morning America is my dream job. I’ve watched WABC 7 and GMA since elementary school and I think it would be really cool to come full circle someday. 

MB:  We all want to know, what’s it like working on LIVE with Kelly and Michael?

VR:  LIVE is amazing. There are so many days when I walk around and think “is this really my life?” Working with a team that is so experienced and respected in the industry is a dream comes true. 

Pictured above: The LIVE with Kelly & Michael team on the Golden Globes stage.

MB:  Any advice for aspiring digital producers?

VR:  Say yes to everything. Don’t be afraid to apply for a job that doesn’t really fit your degree — stop thinking of print, Web and TV as separate things. Each one is journalism, each one requires research and writing and an understanding of the consumer. Be brave and never stop learning. 

MB:  Any other fun stories/events in your career that you’d like to share?  

VR:  I went to the Oscars with LIVE in February and was completely star struck. I was able to be on the Red Carpet on Saturday and then we did our show at 6am PT from the Dolby Theater. To sit in the seats where Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro and countless others sat hours before was…unbelievable. I am never speechless but to be in that theater at that time literally took my breath away. 

Pictured above: Victoria with the legendary Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe award-winning actor Jeremy Irons!

Meet the Teachers: Alice Truong

Meet Alice Truong, the instructor for our brand new Tech Writing course. Alice is a a tech journalist with passion for gadgets, gizmos, and, of course, technology. She says job perks include “testing out new gadgets before they hit the market.”

Our full interview with Alice:

MB:  When did you start writing and how did you know you wanted to do it professionally?

AT: I grew up reading and idolizing the Los Angeles Times and seized every opportunity to immerse myself in journalism. I joined my middle, high school and college newspapers; attended a number of journalism workshops and conferences as a student; majored in journalism as an undergraduate; and completed a master’s program specializing in business journalism and interactive storytelling. Somewhere along the way, perhaps under the notion that this was a glamorous field (and it can be), I decided I wanted to do this professionally.

MB:  What was your first big break?

AT: As an intern at the RedEye, a sister publication to the Chicago Tribune, my editors saw how hungry I was to write and gave me many opportunities to do so. Since this was a publication geared toward “news you can use,” a cover story I wrote on DIY weddings got a lot of positive feedback and was picked up in a number of Trib publications, including the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and most exciting of all, the Los Angeles Times. My clips at the RedEye would later help me secure an internship, and eventually a job, at the Wall Street Journal.

MB:  What is your favorite tech news outlet?

AT: I, of course, have loyalties to the publications that have employed me, including the Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY and the Trib. Since I write about technology, I spend a lot of time reading tech blogs. I’ve always been a fan of Gizmodo’s brazen style, but some new favorites include the Verge, the Wirecutter and Gizmag. I’ve also admired how absolutely nerdy the writers at DVICE, the SyFy Channel’s tech blog, are and eventually became one of them.

MB: Where do you see yourself/hope to be in your career in five years?

AT: I started my journalism career covering real estate in Hong Kong for the Wall Street Journal. The job didn’t last with my moving to San Francisco, but my love for the city did. In five years, I imagine being a tech correspondent based there, collecting passport stamps in my free time.

MB: What do you think is the coolest, most interesting gadget out today?

AT: This is a trick question, right? Because I know as soon as I decide on a toy, a newer, shinier one will come out tomorrow — that’s the world of gadgets for you. At the end of last year, I considered Belkin’s WeMo as one of the top gadgets of 2012, and that’s because the simple $50 device can turn anything into a smart appliance with programmable rules thanks to an iPhone app. My current favorite is the Philips Hue, an LED system that connects color-changing bulbs to a wireless network. With an open API, Philips is really positioning itself as an App Store of high-tech LEDs, encouraging developers to build some very interesting apps for Hue, such as changing the colors of the lights based on a playlist.

Pictured above: Belkin’s WeMPicture above: Philips Hue

Pictured above: Phillips Hue

MB:  What do you hope for students to get out of your class?

AT: As a student, I’ve always appreciated professors who structured their classes so that new lessons built on prior ones to complete a project or achieve a tangible goal. Ideally, my students will have solid story ideas or works in progress to pitch at the end of the course.

MB:  Any advice for aspiring tech journalists?

AT: To understand the tech landscape, read as much as you can in newspapers, magazines and blogs. Over time, the topics and jargon won’t be so intimidating. The other is to get to know people in the field. Yes, that means networking with CEOs, entrepreneurs and PR folks, but even making friends with techies, such as software engineers, is helpful to get insight and develop story ideas.

MB:  Any other fun stories/events in your career that you’d like to share?

AT: Let’s start with an embarrassing story. Once, when I was having dinner in Mountain View, I was talking about my visit to Smugmug’s office earlier in the day. The co-founders, who were avid photographers, had told me about their experience with Lytro, the camera that made headlines for letting you shoot first and focus later. Though Lytro’s technology is genuinely ground shattering, there are a number of limitations that make it impractical, especially for professional photographers who want large, detailed and stunning images. I went on and on at dinner, adding my own opinion about the closed ecosystem, awkward form factor and more before I was interrupted by the person at the next table in this tiny ramen restaurant. Turns out it was the CEO and founder of Lytro, who a day later would step down as chief to take on the role of chairman.

Overall though, covering technology comes with its perks. I attend fun conferences. I talk to inspiring movers and shakers. I test new gadgets before they hit the market. Really, a large part of my job is to play with toys and write about them.

Famous Authors’ Handwritten Outlines for Great Works of Literature via Flavorwire

The biggest bestsellers of our time were once only an outline and an idea. Here’s a peek into the behind-the-scenes scribbles of some of our favorite authors. See more of this fun Wednesday find here!

Above: J.K. Rowling maps out her story line for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Early Rates for our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp End Tomorrow!

Develop a cohesive and comprehensive social strategy with experts. With speakers from Google, Anderson Cooper 360, and Katie Couric’s new daytime talk show Katie, you won’t want to miss it! Learn more!

Going to NY Tech Day?

Drop by our booth, pick up some cool MB swag, and meet our team. The event will be held this Thursday, April 25 at 10 am - 5 pm at Pier 92 in NYC. For more information, check out the NY Tech Day 2013 website. 

Maynard Institute Webinar Featuring Mark Trahant

Here’s a great online event for all of our journalists and writers!

Our friends at the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education are hosting “Entrepreneurial Journalism with Mark Trahant: Trahant as Enterprise”, a webinar taking place on Friday, April 16, 2013 from 11 am to 12 pm PDT.

This online event is not to be missed. View more event details and register here.

Mediabistro Instructor News: Jon Reiner

Jon Reiner, one of our Memoir Writing instructors at Mediabistro, was published in The Atlantic today.Take a break from your busy work day and read his piece “Live First, Write Later: The Case for Less Creative-Writing School”. Enjoy!

Alumni News: Nicole Lataif

Congratulations to our Mediabistro alumna, Nicole Lataif! Her children’s picture book Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body won a 2013 Christopher Award in the “Books for Young People” category. Awards will be presented at the 64th annual Christopher Awards ceremony on May 23, 2013.

“Winner of the prestigious 2013 Christopher Award, “Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body” introduces children ages 4-8 to what being human is all about. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or teacher, you will find this resource to be helpful in explaining the concept of a “soul” to your children. Simply structured sentences, engaging text, relatable analogies grounded in nature and creation, and whimsical illustrations invite children to understand and embrace the whole human person.”

Keep up the great work, Nicole! We can’t wait to see what you do next.

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Our next session of Children’s Picture Book Writing with Dashka Slater begins April 9 online. 

Ready to polish your manuscript for submission? Join Children’s Picture Book Writing: Advanced with Dashka starting on April 8 online.