I always knew that I wanted to be a visual journalist. When I was in high school, I carried a camcorder (yes, camcorder) everywhere I went and in college I crafted my own international photojournalism degree by double majoring in international studies and journalism with a minor in photography. The ability to tell stories using imagery is an amazing tool and I’ve always been intrigued.
After I graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2010 I moved back to Minneapolis and bounced around, getting freelance, volunteer and internship experience, but none ever leading to employment. I realized that, although I’ve always considered myself a city person, it was time to try something new.
While this TikTok was made recently, I’ve been a huge PBS fan ever since my mom introduced my sister and I to “Antiques Roadshow” when we were kids. I applied for a Social Media Specialist job at Pioneer PBS and, in November of 2016, moved the two-and-half hours from Minneapolis to Montevideo after being offered the position. I tell people it’s my in-state study abroad experience because I never dreamed of moving away from the big city lights—or the medium-sized city lights of Minneapolis. I’ve since been promoted to be Digital Media Specialist for our station and I’ve loved being able to experiment with new visual storytelling styles.
I went through PBS’s Digital Immersion program (apply if you can!) in 2019 and discovered that being a digital media specialist can mean a lot of really cool things. I’ve used the flexibility of that title to start creating a digital-first series; to learn the importance of data analytics; to ‘gram and GIF goofily; to uplift communities; and to try new interviewing techniques to get information to our audiences about COVID-19 (s/o to local journos like Jackie Hendry from South Dakota Public Broadcasting for experimenting with me!) using Facebook Live and our broadcast platforms. What I love about my job is that this type of informed, data-driven experimenting is encouraged and supported by all levels of staff at Pioneer PBS. This is really important.
There is a lot of discussion about the urban/rural divide right now. I believe it’s time to move the discussion to a place where the phrase is “urban/rural/suburban interconnection.” We’re all interconnected and rely on one another. It seems that there’s also a divide between new and traditional forms of storytelling. I think that to embrace new ideas for short-form, social story telling, while learning from colleagues who have paved the road for PBS to be a trusted media source is public media’s interconnection. We thrive when we appreciate the skills of each other and learn together.
I encourage us all to experiment smartly and courageously; to listen across our urban/rural public media interconnection; to learn from the talented people in the public media system (apply for Digital Immersion!); and to keep growing.
Looking to connect with Amanda and learn more about her experience or to obtain additional career advice? Email her today at: aanderson@pioneer.org.
