Each Monday, we’re giving readers a chance to get to know the media a little better.
With a little flair.
Our goal is to give readers some insight into the work and work style of area journalists, and get to know a little bit about the person behind the byline. Start your week off with an online networking opportunity through our Media Monday blog post.
This Week: Zachariah Bryan, Ballard News Tribune
Zachariah Bryan is the lead reporter, web editor and photographer for the Ballard News-Tribune, a neighborhood newspaper in Seattle that has roots tracing back to 1891, before Ballard was annexed into the city. He is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University, where he majored in English and was assistant news editor of the student newspaper, The Falcon. Before his gig in Ballard, he was an intern at Crosscut.com.
Q: What’s your favorite story you’ve done in the last week?
A: I was on a little semi-vacation last week, but a recent story I enjoyed doing was on the revival of Bad Albert’s, a 17-year-old neighborhood joint. These days, Ballardites have been mourning the loss of this or that old-time establishment, so it was nice to see one tough it out through some major challenges.
Q: What skills do new journalists need?
A: Creativity. These days, information is zipping around the world faster than particles in the Hadron Collider. To get attention, newspapers need to distinguish themselves from the slop. Take on bold experiments. The old tried and true methods of reporting are great, but what readers want to see is something that hasn’t been tried.
Q: If you weren’t working at your current job, what would you be doing
A: I’d probably be like that guy on the PBS show, “Alone in the Wilderness,” building a cabin with my own hands in Alaska with no connection to civilization whatsoever.
Q: Finish this sentence: “A good PR person is …”
A: Personal and genuine. Don’t be afraid to act like a real person, instead of some kind of mad science contraption equipped with a state-of-the-art journalist-heckling processor. It doesn’t hurt to be funny either.
Q: What hidden talent or skill do you have that viewers/readers don’t know about you?
A: I can make a pretty good potato salad, thanks to my Midwestern mother.
The PR Pro Takeaway: Very unique answers from this journalist; specifically, his call for a genuine and personable PR person. He gives great advice here for a budding journalist. Also, potato salad making could win as many awards as writing articles. Find Zachariah on Twitter.