During a time when the news industry is frantically searching for solutions and new directions, journalists’ lives have been disrupted by cutbacks and job changes. Poynter Online wants to help by sharing stories of success seekers. We are offering how-they-did-it snapshots from people who faced employment challenges and found some measure of success.
ROBIN HENRY
Age: Gen X. … I remember when MTV had videos and cars didn’t.
New job: Staff writer for Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne” (after first writing for “Meet the Browns”) — both on TBS. I’m on a team that writes and punches scripts for the show.
Old job: Managing editor of ajc.com at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I managed the editorial side of the digital staff. Before that, I worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Biggest change so far: Not being on-call 24/7. It’s nice to just watch a news event like everyone else, without being responsible for covering it.
I left because: It was time. I decided to take a voluntary buyout.
I was out of work for: Zero days. I went from one job directly to the other.
I relied on: Faith … that everything would just work out.
This new gig is: The best thing that could have ever happened. I’m able to live my dream — to write for TV — without losing any income or disrupting my home life.
One thing I miss about my old job is: My newspaper friends. I had some great times in the newsroom. And the skills I developed to deal with pressure and deadlines have served me well in my new job.
One thing I don’t miss is: Being on call.
One surprise about my new job is: How incredibly supportive my friends, colleagues and former bosses have been about my decision. It was a real confidence boost to know there were so many people who believed in me.
I’m lucky that: The buyout offer and the job offer came at the same time.
The hardest part was: Telling my parents I was going to leave the newspaper business. They were always very proud of my journalism career. I don’t think it hit them until I quit how serious I was about comedy writing.
I learned that: Getting paid to do what you love is the greatest gift life can give you. For years, I watched my newspaper colleagues do what they really loved. Journalism is a vocation. And I was envious. I wanted that, too. Now I have it.
My advice: Don’t let an opportunity pass you by because of fear. I won’t regret if I fail, but I would regret not trying.
Coming Tuesday: Her newsroom has switched emphasis from print to digital and the design and headlines in the paper are suffering. That makes her clips look bad What can she do?
If you know of a career success story that might be helpful to other Poynter Online readers, please e-mail Joe Grimm at joe.grimm@gmail.com.
