CHRIS STOVER
Editor in Chief, 2008-2009

I never aspired to become the editor-in-chief of The Temple News. As an unassuming freshman in 2005, I did what I was told. I wrote whatever the editors needed, covering topics from SEPTA to ramen noodles.

Little did I know these stories would prepare me to cover slightly more notable events, including a World Series run and a historic presidential election.

As a broadcast journalism major, I was a rarity at the paper. Peers always asked me why, as an aspiring broadcaster, I chose to spend my time writing and editing articles instead of shooting stand-ups. When I inherited the editorship in 2008, these questions made me realize that The Temple News should no longer be seen solely as the school newspaper. Rather, it should be considered Temple’s media organization. This thought always remained in the back of my mind.

Entering my senior year at TTN, I had the pleasure of leading 25 like-minded individuals from various backgrounds. And when you shove those 25 people in one newsroom under immeasurable stress, failure is a distinct possibility. It was a possibility I thankfully never experienced.

Instead, the staff channeled that energy into creating fantastic copy, design, video packages and Web products. Our hard work week after week paid off, as evidenced by numerous Keystone Press Awards, an ACP Online Pacemaker nomination and, perhaps most impressive, an Editor & Publisher EPpy Award for Best College Newspaper Web Site.

The TTN experience will always be a highlight of my life. Not only did I have the opportunity to refine my own multimedia reporting skills, but I was also able to witness the incredible talents of my peers.

To think that a job I initially had no desire to pursue would become one of the defining moments of my life continues to amaze me. It never crossed my mind that the irreplaceable experiences – and the lifelong friends – were part of the deal.

TTN has had a rich history in 88 years, and I’m privileged to have played a small role. In this evolving multimedia world, I look forward to seeing the accolades and achievements of TTN’s future generations

Exhibit A: Las Vegas Action News reporter who went to school. Exhibit B: Drunken man on the street. The horror in the anchors’ eyes completes the presesntation.

The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association honored The Temple News with eight Keystone Press Awards this week.

TTN tied with the Pitt News at the University of Pittsburgh for receiving the most awards.

Below are the categories in which The Temple News won, in addition to links to the winning articles and/or photos.

• Ongoing News Coverage: Brittany Diggs and Stephen Zook, Honorable Mention, Temple tenants violate ordinance
• Public Service: Chris Stover and Morgan Zalot, Tie-2nd, Special Report: A look at Temple’s crime
• Sports Photo: Julia Wilkinson, Honorable Mention, Another late-game blunder (article)
• News Photo: Kriston Bethel, Tie-1st, Check mate (article)
• News Photo: Rachel Playe, Tie-1st, Permanent memories (article)
• News Photo: Rachel Playe, Honorable Mention, Champions
• Photo Story: TTN Staff, World @&#%ing Champions
• Web site: TTN Staff, temple-news.com

I found this interesting article not too long ago about the obsession Philadelphia has with its newscasters.

Michael Schaffer, a former Inqy staff writer, says that local newscasters act as local celebrities, since many towns don’t have celebrities of their own.

It was a fun read until Page 3, where he gets into the future of local television news. Of course, we all know the situation. But it doesn’t make me feel any better when I keep reading it.

I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else than Temple University and the City of Philadelphia to practice journalism. There is only so much one can learn about journalism in the question; it truly is about doing.

So…what’s a diploma worth? Ask Joe the Plumber.

Wikipedia will do the job if you’re unfamiliar with the 2008 presidential campaign’s shining star. According to the Associated Press, he’s trading in his plunger for a pen, acting as a war correspondent for the conservative pjtv.com. And all he had to do was ask a presidential candidate about his tax plan.

Upon watching The Bonnie Hunt Show at 2 a.m. this morning (insomnia, I swear), I learned that her guest, NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor Brian Williams, was a college drop out but had “dreamed” of his current job since he was a little boy. Is that all it takes? Dreaming?

And all of this reminds me of my original broadcast idol, ABC’s Peter Jennings. He ups Williams by one — Jennings was a college and high school dropout (and Canadian, but we won’t hold that against him).

So, with 11 credits left to achieve my degree in broadcast journalism, should I just stop the ride now and quit while I’m ahead?

Ketzel Levine worked for NPR for more than 30 years. Her most recent series involved her traveling the country, reporting on how to survive in the struggling economy. It was an idea she developed and began in September in the first weeks of the economic downturn.

Ultimately, however, she would be reporting on herself. Half-way through her series about staying employed in a struggling economy, NPR announced a 63-person layoff, Levine included.

She’s able to laugh at it now — as seen in this CNN interview — and her final report in the series was a narrative about her own story.

Just another reason to stay in school as long as possible. Or, another reason to move to Lubbock.

A cnn.com video says that an anchor in Bangor, Maine (pictured right) has been receiving hate mail and nasty phone calls just because she resembles John McCain’s running mate.

Cindy Michaels of WVII says she doesn’t think she looks like Palin — “I think I look like me.”

And now, just because I have to, here’s the real Sarah Palin…

CNN feature reporter extraordinaire Jeanne Moos knows this and lets us know about it.

I did a report on Ms. Moos in sophomore year — a paper I’m very proud of titled Making the Moost of It. It was an analysis of her work — what makes it successful following the CRAP model (color, repetition, and two other words I’ll let others let me know through comments).

But here’s another video from Ms. Moos. It won’t be the last from me.

Last year’s MTV VMAs was supposed to be Britney Spears’ big comeback. It wasn’t.

But apparently, she may be getting another chance, according to the Associated Press.

However, the AP might have been a little editorial in its lead…

After delivering one of the worst performances in the history

of the MTV Video Music Awards, Britney Spears has a chance to be crowned this year as the absolute best.

Granted, the performance couldn’t be defined as “excellent,” “good” or “FDA-approved,” but unless MTV has announced it as the “worst performance,” it’s not.

However, I’ve also learned in my journalism experience that usin

g the term “one of” is a godsend.

Therefore, I must be one of the best bloggers in the world, no?

The article does mention a few of her “rebounds” in recent months, however, including guest stints on How I Met Your Mother and promos for this year’s VMAs — as pictured above. She already looks like the old Britney, doesn’t she?

Let’s hope she won’t do it again…

She got shot while doing a report live on air. And she continues the report.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/08/14/vo.gerogia.journalist.shot.gerogiastatetv