"Persist, don’t listen to the naysayers"

Sit down with Professor Mallory Saleson and learn about her journalism career, news literacy, and the fundamentals of journalism. 

Saleson worked as a journalist for 20-years before transitioning to teaching journalism at George Mason University. During her career, Saleson worked as an overnight shift news writer, domestic reporter, foreign correspondent, and newsroom deputy director at Voice of America. 

Here are the five key takeaways from her Livestream interview with the AFC-USA:

Number One - New Literacy: Fake news has existed since ancient times, “but the internet and social media allow things to spread and multiply in such a dynamic and immediate factor that no one has experienced anything as we’ve experienced now,” Professor Saleson said. You have to go deeper, look for other sources, examine the information, she explained. Where did it come from? Is it reliable? Do I trust this information? News literacy is especially important for journalists because a source they think is credible may not be.

Number Two - Fundamentals of Journalism: “A journalist is looking for accuracy, truth, and fact,” Saleson said. Journalists should be avid listeners, readers, and learners -- you never stop. Journalists should follow the news daily, not just in their country but worldwide. “I hate to say that sometimes what I see is a little more shallowness than I would like. Because I think a lot of people feel that if they are following social media, somehow that’s good enough. There’s nothing like delving into something and delving deep.

Number Three - Reporting in South Africa: Professor Saleson spent many years as a foreign correspondent in South Africa. She covered the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and years later covered the first democratic election in the country that elected Mandela. “Recording and reporting that historical moment, and knowing that it was a huge moment not just for South Africa, but for the region and the world,” covering war and humanitarian crisis, and seeing what it can do to people had a significant impact on Saleson as a journalist and a person. 

Number Four - Biases in Journalism: Talk to both sides, keep a balanced perspective even if it’s hard, Saleson explained. “I would always let people I interviewed speak for themselves. And use a lot of attribution.” When it comes down to it, no is objective; we can say we are, but we all have opinions.

Number Five - Advice for New and Future Journalists: “Persist, don’t listen to the naysayers,” Saleson advised. “You have to just want to do it. Be curious, read, learn, and just get out there, put your hand up and say, ‘me, I want this!”