| Two journalists from the New York Times talked to McNeese mass communication students Wednesday about how to pitch and develop compelling stories. Rick Rojas, Atlanta Bureau Chief for The New York Times, and freelance photojournalist Emily Kask, visited assistant professor Amy Veuleman’s Writing for the Media class to speak to the next generation of journalists. Rojas and Kask discussed a few stories they had collaborated on. One such story discussed the aftermath of Hurricane Laura and the community’s feelings about potential future storms. They also fielded questions from the students and discussed the differences between being a reporter for a specific organization and being a freelance journalist. “Basically, Rick has health insurance, and I don’t,” Kask said. Rojas, who previously wrote for the Los Angeles Times, is The New York Times’ lead reporter responsible for covering the American South. Kask has worked with different news outlets, including The New York Times, Vice News, and The Washington Post. The duo has been working together since 2020, producing numerous stories for The New York Times. The pair went on to explain how the process looks from pitching a story all the way to a story being published. They also advised the students on how to produce more compelling stories and encouraged them to be bold in their storytelling. “You want your stories to feel cinematic, layered, textured and human,” said Rojas. “You have to take risks.” “Perspective is everything,” said Kask. “Think of everything as an opportunity.” |
