Journalism

Both Bruce Squires and Jo-Ann Armao are two completly different types of journalists. Jo-Ann Armao spoke to our journalism class about writing editorials which I did not even know was a type of journalism. Before Armao spoke on Monday afternoon to the class, I thought editorials were people writing their opinions to the newspaper as opposed to actual journalists. She helped my fellow classmates and I learn a lot regarding editorials. Bruce Squires taught the class much of what there is to know about being a photojournalist.

Jo-Ann Armao, an editorial writer for the Washington Post, passed around a couple of editorials she wrote and expalined that although at times she may not agree with the position the newspaper she works for takes, she loves her job. Before becoming an editorial writer, Armao was a reporter and she said that by writing editorials she can get her voice heard. She loves being an editorial writer because when she interviews people, they open up to her more than to reporters due to the fact that everything is off the record. In editorials, no names, titles or background information is required. Armao loves her job and said she can never imagine going back to straight news reporting.

Bruce Squires, although not an editorial writer, he is a great photojournalist. He spoke to the class about his passion for taking pictures. Not only does he do it for his job but he finds himself taking pictures all the time. Squires said that he loves photography because "good pictures happen everywhere." Even though he does not have a favorite picture, he loves taking pictures which he is proud of. An example he gave the class was a picture he took of an elderly man walking in Johnstown and he took his name and did not think much of it. Six months later, he got a call from a woman saying "that picture was my father and he died." All types of journalism can have enormous affects on people's lives. Even if it is a small picture, it can change a person's life.