The Eagle is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and held an event from its monthly Centennial Speaker Series featuring former Eagle staffers who are now political reporters.
The event was moderated by professor Terry Bryant and The Eagle’s Editor-in-Chief Walker Whalen. It featured Robert Barnes, Supreme Court reporter for The Washington Post; Courtney Rozen, now working at Reuters covering the Federal workforce; and Zach Cohen, who covers Congress for Bloomberg Tax.
The panelists discussed everything from the accessibility provided to journalists reporting on government institutions and the challenges related to grasping the attention of readers in a polarized world. At the end of the panel, there was a Q&A open to students who asked how they should approach covering sensitive topics and building strong connections.
Cohen began the discussion by addressing the perks of working on Capitol Hill, specifically how credentials and proximity can create opportunities for journalists to ask the right questions and get the information needed to cover an event.
“I can get 95 percent of the places around the Hill with just this badge,” Cohen said. “That access allows us the opportunity to hold them accountable … and not necessarily rely on spokespeople.”
This isn’t the case for the other branches, such as the White House. The line is clearly drawn on where and when one can ask questions to the president, including what types of questions can be asked, Rozen said. Under the current administration, the White House decided to select a smaller press pool, which allows them to control the outlets that cover the president.
Barnes described the Supreme Court as having the “most closed door of them all.”
“You don’t see the justices on their way in or on their way out,” Barnes said. “The press is not sort of necessary for them to get re-elected.”
Rozen said it has become difficult to get the details needed to make an informative article since there are varying viewpoints and uncertainty about what information may or may not be factual. However, she emphasized the reporter’s role in presenting these facts to the public is to allow them the opportunity to form their own opinion without bias.
“My editor will constantly say to me when I’m writing a story, you know, explain to the reader how you know what you know,” Rozen said.
One of the key takeaways emphasized by all the reporters was the importance of continuously writing and working on your articles.
“Your ‘news judgment’ depends on what would resonate to someone in another part of the world,” Rozen said.
Such judgment isn’t something that appears overnight but rather something that is improved through practice and consistent learning, as it helps reporters stay on top of what’s relevant to readers, Cohen said.
Rozen emphasized that the first step in writing an informative article would be to start reading the morning newspaper and immerse oneself in a variety of news sources and related materials.
Talia Ruzicka, a freshman majoring in Business Administration planning to specialize in marketing at the Kogod School of Business, said the event was engaging to attend, especially with AU alumni talking about their experiences and career paths.
“It was really powerful to hear from people who are working in positions that are important and have an impact on the news we listen to,” Ruzicka said. “It [also] gave me more of an idea of how I could get into that career field.”
This article was edited by Payton Anderson, Cara Halford and Abigail Hatting. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Avery Grossman and Ava Stuzin.
