Six years ago – when President Bush faced off against his Democratic challenger John Kerry – I faxed my Los Angeles County ballot from London. From cafes off Oxford Circus to our flat under the Old Burlington Arms, my fiancee telecommuted to Berkeley as I worked on my residency at Reuters.
This Friday, I say good-bye to TV news in Sacramento and step into the world of hyperlocal journalism with AOL’s Patch.com.
I am looking forward to creating an online news community for Newark. I will write, edit and produce news content for this site. I will have the chance to connect with freelance writers and bloggers. Plus – I will shoot, edit and produce video segments and other multimedia elements. I know it will be hard work building this site without a big newsroom to back me up. Still – I’m not afraid of working hard, on my own.
Before moving to Kansas, Mark and I watched “Good Night and Good Luck.” I remember Mark telling me this film gave him an idea of how much good work I could do with journalism. I also remember Edward R. Murrow’s words (as channeled by David Strathairn) seared my soul. He called for all journalists to do more than entertain our viewers. He called on all of us to use the television platform to “educate, inform and inspire.”
Next week – I’m switching platforms. However, Murrow’s words still ring true for a news producer covering her world on television and online.
I don’t need food or sleep when I’m riding the adrenaline rush of breaking news. On Facebook, I asked my colleagues if I would miss it.
In Sacramento…
One producer said: “Probably… some days:)”
A reporter answered: “nahhh. Remember, you can always fill in/ freelance! 
”
From my Kansas co-workers…
“You’ll kinda of miss it, until u realize u don’t have to work on weekends and odd hours…and you won’t miss the pay. In 3 months it will be more nostalgia then actual longing.”
“Come on Kris I know you’ll miss it when stuff breaks down. Like last week the m-series had trouble restarting. Good times.”
Finally – one of my anchors responded:
“The good stories that mean something, yes. The day-to-day death and destruction, no.”
Yeah. I’ll miss my life in TV news but I’m looking forward to my new adventure in the East Bay.
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