Interview with Media Professional Linton Weeks

For my second interview wth a media professional, I interviewed Linton Weeks who works as an national correspondent for NPRs digital news. I attended high school with his son and he spoke to us one year about careers and the future. Mr. Weeks graduated from college as an English major and took his first job as a writer for a small weekly newspaper in Arkansas making a hundred dollars a week. When asked the sole purpose of his job was he replied that "Someone once said that journalism was storytelling with a purpose." After nearly 20 years at the Washington Mr.Weeks decided to leave the paper with some money in his pocket and interview at NPR and got the job the same day. There are many components that go into being a national correspondent and the thing that Mr.Weeks both likes and dislikes about his job are the certain people that are involved with his work. Although Mr.Weeks is intrigued by the never ending techno-evolution, he believes that the most important thing is being able to tell a story in both a concise and compelling way. As far as students getting started somewhere, Mr. Weeks states that you should "decide what you want and do everything you possibly do-legally and ethically--to pursue your dreams. He also believes that its not about money, it's about meaning, and that people should try everything and embrace change. He says to read as much as you can and recommends that students do what they enjoy, and enjoy what they do. Experience is everything, and to become indispensable by working for free at a place that you love at first then go after that job.