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Video Conference 2: Bob Shieffer

“Never let the impression come off as if you are smarter than the person you’re interviewing. Just do your homework.”

American television journalist, Bob Shieffer, joined C-SPAN broadband feed and current college students to discuss the job of a credible and mainstream journalist in today’s media industry.

Host of  ‘Face The Nation’ on CBS, Shieffer, answered questions from George Mason University, University of District of Columbia, and Texas Christian University students.

Shieffer says, “the job of the journalist is to find out truth.” He believes that if a journalist is motivating in finding simple truth in their news stories, then it can never fail.

“Before you publish, you have to be determined to do the best of your ability to [reveal] truth,” he explains. “Journalism is not just an idea you get in the mid night hour. To get to the truth, you have check your sources of information. And determine what it true and what is not true.”

His main concern with today’s media and journalism is ‘correcting false reports in the media.’ The internet, according Shieffer, has been the primary factor that has changed the way journalism works.

In addition to Shieffer’s passion for truthful storytelling and reporting, he gives the students advice in being a journalist in college and in the job market. He emphasizes the importance of writing down the contacts you make while being in an internship program or job institution.

“Don’t be afraid to talk about what they do. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself, and learn. And don’t look over contacts, the people that you come in contact with.”

Near the end of the session with Shieffer, the students and professors of the class sang Happy Birthday to Mr. Sheiffer and presented him with birthday goodies and cake – although, there wasn’t any way from him to actual enjoy eating them.

[Video Conference 1: Bob Shrum] [Video Conference 3: Dick Morris]

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