In this episode of “Journalism 101 with Tripping Raul,” the host reflects on her challenging experiences as a newspaper reporter during the 1990s. Through a candid and introspective dialogue, Raul discusses the errors and missteps she made in her journalism career, which continue to invade her thoughts years later. She also touches on the differences between podcasting and newspaper journalism, emphasizing the permanence of printed mistakes compared to the editable nature of podcasts.

Raul recounts several significant mistakes from her journalism career, including misnaming significant details in her articles, such as confusing the Spanish Trail with the Santa Fe Trail and incorrectly naming a pizza brand in a story about a Holocaust survivor turned pizza entrepreneur.

The emotional toll of covering intense stories is highlighted, particularly through her interviews with Holocaust survivors, which left her deeply affected.

Raul notes the flexibility podcasting offers, such as the ability to edit content before it goes live— a stark contrast to print journalism where errors are immutable once published.

Despite the more flexible nature of podcasting, Raul mentions her struggles with understanding the technical aspects of podcast production, as well as the continuing emotional impact of her past journalistic errors.

Raul shares anecdotes from her editing days, including humorous and inappropriate content that she had to manage or correct before publication.

The host encourages listener interaction by providing her email and a teased topic for the next episode – a detailed discussion of a murder case in Southeastern Colorado.

The episode closes with Raul reflecting on the duality of her career—highlighting both her journalistic errors and the ‘saves’ she made. She maintains a continued passion for storytelling and journalistic integrity, despite the challenges she’s faced. Raul invites listeners to return for the next episode and provides her contact information for feedback and interaction.

Listeners are left with a nuanced understanding of the complexities and psychological impacts of a career in journalism, illuminated by Raul’s personal experiences and candid sharing.

Ha! These are always so profound sounding! Especially for a not very profound podcast!

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Resource: At Least They’re Committed, “A Break,” blog by Tripping Raul