By Kate Habrel and Ian Wendrow
Longtime journalists John Hughes of Bloomberg News in Washington and Margie Bauman of the Cordova Times in Alaska and Fisherman’s News spoke with Knight Center students on recent visits to MSU.
John Hughes of Bloomberg News in Washington
Hughes, of Bloomberg First Word breaking-news desk in Washington, shared his experiences working in journalism, where he’s covered a broad range of events from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to the “Miracle on the Hudson” airplane landing in New York City
His career included a stint at the Associated Press, when he spent two years in Detroit covering the auto industry and other topics and two years in Washington, where his beat included such natural resources issues as salmon and forestry.
Hughes spoke on the need for journalists to be more versatile than ever, emphasizing the speed at which information now flows and urged students to not just learn how to write, but also how to communicate, citing the Internet and social media as catalysts of change.
Bauman’s time as a journalist has taken her across the country, working in New Jersey, Wisconsin, Philadelphia and now Alaska. She’s covered issues ranging from fisheries protection and mining projects to Native American land rights and African American civil rights.
In addition to meeting with Knight Center students, Bauman, a MSU Journalism School alum, also spoke to research director Bruno Takahashi’s environmental journalism seminar and director Eric Freedman’s environmental reporting class.
Margie Bauman meeting with faculty and students
Although she’s been covering fisheries and other news for many years, Bauman spoke of a story she covered in Milwaukee earlier in her career that’s stuck with her.
“There was a black family that tried to buy a house in the Polish south side neighborhood. Well, when they approached the Realtor suddenly the house wasn’t available. The local NAACP got wind of this and organized a march across the viaduct toward Kosciuszko Park.
“I remember people on the roofs of three-story buildings throwing rocks and bottles at these marchers. Eventually the police arrived and begin arresting the marchers, peacefully protesting marchers, so that was strange overall to see that firsthand,” she said.