I don’t really know how to use a microphone. This photo was totally staged. Highly unethical.
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So I had no intentions of becoming a journalist. Frankly, I don’t even know if that’s what the future holds for me. My spelling is awful. I hate “proof-reading”. The AP stylebook and I are bitter enemies and I could go on…
It all started when I moved to Iran at the end of 2008. A move that was meant to improve my language skills and to experience life in the region, as opposed to just reading about others who live(d) there.
Through luck and very random connections, I befriended one of the senior producers at Press TV-Iran’s 24 hour all-English satellite news channel. It was Iran’s response to CNN international, BBC, Al-Jazeera international. Government funded, but at the time I got there, it certainly felt more open and progressive than a typical government sponsored propaganda machine.
Long story short, I was hired within a few days after sending off my resume (so long unpaid internship that was really just an excuse to go somewhere with a decent internet connection in Tehran), and began training to be an anchor for the world news. I had zero media/journalism/tv experience. I could read and speak English. That’s all that really mattered.
The training sucked. My boss wanted me to do sports because I looked young (I’m balding, how does that make me look young?). It was also unpaid. After a few weeks, my boss informed me that I “was not ready” and my progress was “disappointing”. Fine. Being an anchorman is pretty lame anyways.
So my friend-the senior producer, came up with the idea of “The Election Blog” and giving me the title of “Press TV-Blogger”. We pitched it to the website department, who told us to go ask some other department, and then that department told us to go to someone else, etc…until we finally just went back to website and told them that we got the approval from everybody.
Within a few weeks the blog was up, and I was following my friend and his production team around the country, covering all election related events. This was in March of 2009, with June 12th being election day.
I understand that the story you just read was pretty long and pointless (wish I could give you your time back). I just felt I needed to give the limited viewers (hello? anyone?) of this page a little background as to how I got into this field of work. And to give a background to all the pictures/videos I (hope to) post in the future.
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Pretty sure it’s illegal to take pictures inside of Press TV’s building. Well I didn’t take this picture, I’m just in it, so it’s not my problem. Besides, I don’t work there anymore.
