Volunteer news reporter Jenn Ruckel has been busy this summer. After arriving at our station in June, she’s been working not only to collect the bare facts of rural Alaska’s news stories, but, also, to immerse herself in this region to understand it — and thereby report on it — better.
Taking cues from some of the KNOM reporters who have come before her, Jenn says that there’s a difference between “knowing” and “understanding” life in Alaska. The latter often requires experiencing the lifestyles that are represented in our newscasts.
A great example: Jenn’s recent reporting trip aboard a crabbing vessel in the Bering Sea. The trip wasn’t the stuff of reality television, but rather, a taste of the actual reality of fishing in our region. Out at sea, Jenn learned what deckhands do to catch crabs and then crafted a story on the challenges currently facing our region’s crab fishery.
In moments like these, Jenn says, “you can become a (small) part of the story you’re telling, and that makes your story better.” It’s a “huge blessing,” she continues, “to be welcomed into the story.”
At KNOM, we definitely count our news team — and your support, making their work possible — as a huge blessing, indeed. Thank you.
