Steve Andrews

  The trip downtown to WFLA was eye-opening and it was one of my favorites so far.  It was a close second to the Orient Rd. jail visit.  I am always intrigued whenever I am in the presence of a well-known public figure.  In this case, seeing WFLA investigative reporter Steve Andrews live in the flesh was a special experience for me.  It is almost like seeing a celebrity on a smaller scale.
   My initial thought when I meet a well-known, experienced reporter is, "Wow, I wonder if I will ever be at that level in my career."
  There is a feeling of discouragement as I prepare to graduate this December.  I have heard from multiple professors that the industry is rough.  They gently prepare us for the many rejections we are likely to receive on the job hunt after college.
  At the same time, I believe there is truth to the idea that it really is about who you know.  Networking is so important.  Collecting business cards or remembering encounters with media professionals is a great way to get your foot in the door. 
   At first, I recognized the name, but not the face when we walked into the conference/ theater room at WFLA.  When Andrews showed us some clips of his investigative TV stories, I recognized him right away.  His broadcast stories have earned him six Emmys.
  He introduced with the story about State Attorney Harry Lee Coe.  Andrews did a broadcast a story that Coe had borrowed $12,000 from a few employees.  There were questions as to how he was spending this money.  The day after the story unfolded, Andrews found him dead.  Apparently, he had shot himself.  In the midst of an emotional time, Andrews received over a thousand emails in response to Coe's suicide so soon after the story broke.  Some emails were threatening, but Andrews took the time to respond to every email personally, explaining his take on the story.  Andrews said 95% of the people who wrote the nasty emails ended up apologizing later.  I respect Andrews for staying strong and holding his ground.
  My favorite story was about the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance (TBWA) and their extreme spending on food.  The company spent over $100,000 on food for employees in one year, including $9 cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.  I loved how Andrews made the story lighthearted and interesting.  This story was definitely worthy of its award.

  I loved hearing Andrews' interviewing tips.  He said to come prepared with at least three questions you want answers to.  That way, if one question leads into something else and you go off on a tangent, you can always come back and remember what questions you wanted answered. 
  I always try to absorb as much information from media professionals as I can.  There is no better way to learn than to experience it in the field.