Q: As a writer at an African American weekly newspaper, my concern is that if (or when) I attempt to make the transition to a mainstream newspaper, editors will not want my work.
A Detroit Free Press reporter told me that there are many reporters in the Black Press who have transitioned to the mainstream and they have done just fine. What is your take on the matter?
P.S., how can I use my experience as a “wear many hats” reporter in the Black Press to my advantage in
the future?
Thinking about he Future
A: I have seen people make that transition, but you have to clear some hurdles: weekly to daily; advocacy journalism to so-called objective journalism; features-focused news, as some African-American papers do, to something that is more down the middle -- many would say negative, even, that is typical of the mainstream press.
Many African-American papers, like small papers of any kind, lack the editing and resources to let you put out some really polished clips.
The chief obstacle in all of this -- and the one over which you have the most control -- is to try to do the kind of journalism that larger papers are doing. You can't change your paper from weekly to daily, but you can go out of your way to get newsier, harder-edged assignments.
The career transition answer seems to be to take an extra step -- perhaps a small daily where people wear many hats -- to get on your way. Unfortunately, the annual survey by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, says that many, many small dailies are apparently reluctant to hire minority employees.
