Behind the Scenes of the Session Pressroom
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We've all gone mad. Well, at least it feels that way here in the somewhat small confinements of the pressroom at the Adventist Church's General Conference Session. |
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Barely awake at 8:30 a.m. for the early morning press breifing. [Photo: Adam Bujak]
We've all gone mad. Well, at least it feels that way here in the somewhat small confinements of the pressroom at the Adventist Church's General Conference Session. With dozens of members from various Adventist press buzzing around with tape recorders, notebooks, pens and cameras, the deadlines they're trying to meet can seem a bit crazy. And they are. Every day for 10 days, which sure feels like forever. But it's fun too.
A glance around this Web site reveals there's more than a few stories each day -- more than, I'm sure, you can even read. Who has time to read 15,000 words a day? We'd love to hear that you do read each and every word, and ponder them in your heart, but we also like to think we're realistic, and allow you to pick and choose which ones interest you.
One may wonder if all this is even necessary -- do we really need all these stories? But, then, we think of all that is happening here at Session, and feel we have a duty to report to the public. There's also oodles of stories that we don't get -- they're walking down these hallways, eating in this cafeteria, sleeping in surrounding hotel rooms -- that will never be heard. Eighty stories a day would probably border on the ridiculous. I'm sure you agree.
Enter into our world:
You may be wondering, "How does it work?" There's a team of photographers, reporters, writers, editors, media relations specialists, and there's a director to head each of those teams. There's also an office manager and assistants.
Sleepy-eyed reporters, still trying to recover from the previous 15-hour day -- and considered lucky if they were able to scarf down a couple bites of the sometimes unidentifiable food provided -- gather for the daily morning staff meeting where communication director for the world church, Ray Dabrowski, informs them of what's on the Session meeting agenda for the day.
Then the teams get to work: assignments on what's happening on the session floor are divided among reporters, and they also share their own story ideas, which may be a human interest story or a commentary. Then they take off to the concaves of the Edward Jones Dome to find those they need to interview (which can be a major challenge with thousands here) and attack their stories.
Some sit atop an overlook six stories above the floor of the dome, taking careful notes of the session going on below. Volunteers from Andrews University -- communication majors -- scatter about collecting comments to aid in article preparation.
Chris Drake, director of media design at Walla Walla College in Washington state, says, "It's very exciting to be at the central hub of information in the Adventist Church."
John Smith is the newsroom manager for this barmy operation. Although he's spent 14 years working for the BBC, this saga isn't old news for him. "I've been amazed at the range of experience spread across those that have worked in the newsroom," he says. "There have been some very experienced journalists working alongside those who are not full-time professionals, and yet we have been able to help them all get what they need to produce for their various outlets."
This pressroom is where England meets America, for we also get to work with two other fine Englishmen, whose writings you very well may have read lately.
"Working in the press room is great because there are three of us Brits here," John Surridge says.
Victor Hulbert and Surridge particularly enjoyed Independence Day. "Despite July fourth, we love you all," Hulbert stated in an e-mail. I'm sure he was smiling.
Independence Day quarrels aside, this is a place of awesome diversity and hard labor. Working with interesting people, learning from them, and pushing ourselves to always improve at what we do is wonderful.
So this isn't really news -- perhaps many pressrooms operate like this one. We're not special. And if we're tired, we can't complain. No worries, as our Aussie friends here say. I think we can manage for 10 days. We'll let you know July 10. But in the meantime, continue to read, as we continue to gather, report, write and hopefully not drive ourselves mad in the process.
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ANN World News Bulletin is a review of news and information issued by the Communication department from the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters and released as part of the service of Adventist News Network. It is made available primarily to religious news editors. Our news includes dispatches from the church's international offices and the world headquarters.
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Ground 7 News is a review of news and information issued by the Communication Department from the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters and released as part of the service of Adventist News Network. Reproduction of the ANN podcast is encouraged. When rebroadcasting this material, in full or in part, the words "Source: Adventist News Network" must be mentioned before and after the podcast.
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Staff:
Rajmund Dabrowski, director; Ansel Oliver, assistant director; Elizabeth Lechleitner, editorial coordinator; Megan Brauner, editorial assistant. Portuguese translation by Azenilto Brito, Spanish translation by Marcos Paseggi, Italian translation by Vincenzo Annunziata and Lina Ferrara and French translations by Stephanie Elofer.
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