Photo by Gabriella Anzelc
As a student journalist, I have learned firsthand that some of the most difficult stories to tell are also the most important.
I have stood alongside Pacific Coast Highway to report another life lost on Malibu’s 21 deadliest miles. I have talked with residents who are still recovering from the most recent natural disaster that hit their home. I have asked hard questions that don’t always have comfortable answers.
Through my entire experience thus far, I have learned that journalism is more than just reporting on what happened. My career is focused on seeking truth, giving people a voice and uplifting the stories that might otherwise go unheard.
Every story, every question and every interview is a direct reflection of someone’s lived experience. My sources are more than just written quotes in an article. My sources are real people — those who took time out of their day to stop and talk to me, those who were brave enough to share their story and those who proved they care about journalism.
Since 1791, freedom of the press has been a natural right recognized by the entire nation under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. It is a protection that allows journalists, just like myself, to keep seeking truth and telling the stories of our community.
Freedom is not always something we recognize until it is being threatened. As long as there are stories left to tell, there is a reason to protect the freedom to tell them.
While I continue to find my own voice, I look to those that came before me — journalists who were brave enough to challenge authority, push boundaries and continue seeking truth in the darkness.
Among those journalists is Dorothy Lucey, a longtime reporter and former co-host of “Good Day LA.” Lucey has seen the world of journalism evolve through her own experience, and in the following letter, she describes how she is now using her voice to teach the next generation how to continue fighting for the truth.
Letter from Dorothy Lucey
Photo courtesy of Dorothy Lucey
There is, or was, a wall of Emmys in my home. Since the Palisades Fire, they’ve been in storage, but, thankfully, we still have them. I, Dorothy Lucey, am best known as a morning TV show anchor. My husband, David Goldstein, was an investigative reporter. As you may have guessed, most of the Emmys are his.
My TV news career has lasted over three decades. Starting after college as a reporter at WNEP in Scranton, Pa., I was sent to cover a barn fire for my first day on the job. I had never been to a barn (or a fire).
I wrote the story using news jargon. The producer ripped my script (yes, we used paper), and said, “What did you see?” I told him and he said, “Write that.”
The most important lesson of my career was given to me on day one.
I went on to report news on both coasts at WABC and CBS2. For a brief time, I was a reporter at NBC Sports, until they realized I knew nothing about sports. For two decades, I was an anchor at “Good Day L.A.”
For the past 10 years, I have been an adjunct professor of Broadcast Journalism. I have taught at Pepperdine and at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. Now, I have students winning Emmys — and that is my favorite accomplishment.
On the first day of every class, I tell students the lesson I learned on day one: write what you see. I enjoy imparting the art and arc of story telling. My husband, as a guest speaker, will grill students on how to dig deep (and how not to get sued).
Since David and I both started in the business, the equipment has changed from a two-person crew to an iPhone. And now, news is often referred to as “content.”
But journalism hasn’t changed. Be curious, ask questions, find the facts and tell them in a compelling way. Telling stories is a privilege. Teaching students to tell stories is also a privilege.
And one day, soon, we will be back in our home. We’ll unpack those Emmys. And I’ll tell that story.
This story was copy edited by Lila Rendel.
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