,,I’m jealous of David Remnick. He’s only fifty years old, but already has the Pullitzer Prize and runs the best magazine of the world, The New Yorker,” said Holland’s most popular talkshow host Matthijs van Nieuwkerk when I interviewed him in the studio of his show. ,,You should look up his bio, do a Google search. I’m sure he will inspire you and your readers as well”.
Well, I took this advice for granted. And yes, I do think Remnick’s career is incredible. During his time as the Washington Post’s Moscow correspondent, he wrote a magnificent book about the Soviet empire’s demise called Lenin’s Tomb. That’s what got him the Pullitzer Prize.
People like Remnick make me more ambitious. When the thought of blogging-for-another-three-hours-while-the-sun-is-shining almost kills me, I think about careers like Remnick’s and find new energy.
David Remnick in his office. Photo: Martin Schoeller/The New Yorker
So I’m glad Matthijs van Nieuwkerk (also somebody I admire) advised me to look up his best work. On the other hand, Remnick is so incredibly good in what he does: will I ever come close to that? I can’t write a Pullitzer Prize-winning book. I’m even having a hard time writing this post. Poor me, discouraged by world’s best journalists.
But there’s good news: in about ten years, aspiring journalists won’t have the same struggle as I have now.
Find the early work of your hero
Imagine the year 2019. I tell a young guy – let’s call him Bob – to look up some work of two great journalists Paul Vereijken and Jaap Stronks (two guys in their twenties who are now laying the foundations of a beautiful career in journalism). Bob does a Google search – or the modern equivalent of that – and finds work of the two journalists. There will be one major difference with the year 2009 though. Instead of just finding Vereijken’s and Stronks’ best work – like I only found Remnick’s highlights of his career -, Bob also finds stuff that the two journalists produced in the early days of their career. Like Twitterradio.
Last week, Stronks and Vereijken launched this Dutch online radio show about new media. Every two weeks, they interview media professionals, discuss the latest trends and experiment with over-the-top jingles. Listeners can ask questions via twitter by including #twitterradio in their message.
Nike was right
Stronks and Vereijken tested the format last Thursday. The result was an entertaining and surprisingly professional show. Sure, there were some technical difficulties and I’m sure the pace of the show will be faster next time, but I had a good time during those thirty minutes (except for the part when they started to ask me tough questions about nrc.next). So I can only agree with the comment of the deputy editor in chief of NOS News Tim Overdiek: ,,Twitterradio, just do it”.
Let’s go back to Bob. He has googled Vereijken and Stronks and finds out that they were struggling with some weird echo during their first episode of Twitterradio. All of a sudden, these heroes become more human. ,,Ha, they used to face the same challenges as I’m doing now,” Bob thinks. He feels more motivated, as he realizes they’re only human too. With a lot of hard work and some luck, he can become a hero as well.
Love the article. Really appriciate what you wrote. When I shake hands with Bob in the future, I will advise him to google the bio and work of the great journalist who advised him to google Jaap Stronks and me.
It’s good to see Paul Vereijken get a mention (that scans nicely). This is a timely reminder to treat every comment respectfully because one day they may be aggregated and published as the Early Work of….
Well Elisabeth, you are definitely on the right track then. Every time you post a comment, it’s a pleasure to read. You either add valuable information or a funny remark. Thanks for that!