I've gone from producing a weekly half-hour newsmagazine to producing a one-hour daily in a matter of a few days with my new hire as senior producer for The Source with Ezra Levant on Sun News Network. It's been a massive learning curve, but a thrill filled with new challenges at every sharp turn.
At the end of my first week, I tweeted that I somehow managed to survive without any major meltdowns. I didn't cry. I didn't yell. I didn't throw a fit. Sure, there were many times I wanted to pass out from sheer exhaustion, or throw up from the fear of failing, but it seems I was born to thrive in this sort of intense deadline-driven environment, and I was quite proud I made it through without a breakdown.
A new colleague and the Senior Associate Editor at The Toronto Sun, replied to my tweet and reassured me that meltdowns aren't a sign of weakness. Rather, from his thread below, you can see a sort of romanticized version of the newsroom tweak-out.
While I'm grateful for the new opportunities provided for women in media (The New York Times recently hired its first female editor), I have a feeling I work in less interesting times when it comes to my field.
What I wouldn't give to have a larger than life, movie-version experience of old-school journalism. The age of No. 2 pencils, typewriters and phonebooks, polyester pants and male chauvinism. Ahhh...
At the end of my first week, I tweeted that I somehow managed to survive without any major meltdowns. I didn't cry. I didn't yell. I didn't throw a fit. Sure, there were many times I wanted to pass out from sheer exhaustion, or throw up from the fear of failing, but it seems I was born to thrive in this sort of intense deadline-driven environment, and I was quite proud I made it through without a breakdown.
A new colleague and the Senior Associate Editor at The Toronto Sun, replied to my tweet and reassured me that meltdowns aren't a sign of weakness. Rather, from his thread below, you can see a sort of romanticized version of the newsroom tweak-out.
While I'm grateful for the new opportunities provided for women in media (The New York Times recently hired its first female editor), I have a feeling I work in less interesting times when it comes to my field.
What I wouldn't give to have a larger than life, movie-version experience of old-school journalism. The age of No. 2 pencils, typewriters and phonebooks, polyester pants and male chauvinism. Ahhh...
@rikkiratliff @sunnewsnetwork Meltdowns are permitted if limited to 5 minutes and any flying objects avoid nearby heads. Always aim low.
@sunlorrieLorrie Goldstein
@rikkiratliff Actually, I missed the "Bono threatens to destroy his crashing computer with a chair" incident of the 1980s.
("Bono" is the senior editorial writer for Sun Media. He's been with them since the 70's and has a gaudy gold ring to prove it.)
("Bono" is the senior editorial writer for Sun Media. He's been with them since the 70's and has a gaudy gold ring to prove it.)
@rikkiratliff But I was there for the famous "Blatchford's flying stapler" episode that kicked off the new millenium.
("Blatchford" is one of Canada's greatest when it comes to print journalism. In fact, I consider her a hero in my field.)
("Blatchford" is one of Canada's greatest when it comes to print journalism. In fact, I consider her a hero in my field.)
@rikkiratliff Then there was the time no one warned me in advance we were endorsing the Grits in the '87 Ontario election. I didn't aim low.
(Americans, the "Grits" are the Liberals in this country. So you can understand the gravity of the situation.)
(Americans, the "Grits" are the Liberals in this country. So you can understand the gravity of the situation.)
@rikkiratliff We had a city editor who jumped on his desk and shouted: "C'MON, YOU BASTARDS, WRITE!" at us. Gave him a whip when he retired.
'Nuff said.
'Nuff said.
