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Journalist's on-camera gaffes shouldn't be lauded
By Colleen Young
On May 2, 2013
Fame is being given to all the wrong people these days it seems.
Last week, a young reporter named A.J. Clemente became an instant star when he started off his
first live broadcast with two untimely curse words. He was immediately fired from the station in
Bismarck, North Dakota, but he wasn't left without new opportunities.
His mistake spread rapidly over social media and became an instant YouTube sensation.
Clemente became a star overnight, and all throughout last week, he was traveling and doing
appearances on talk shows, such as Today and Letterman, gaining more fame and recognition
than most hopeful journalists will ever get to experience.
Clemente even made an appearance on my favorite talk show, LIVE with Kelly and Michael, and
that's when things got personal. This new anchor that made a horrible mistake got to be on the
show that I can only dream of being on.
Our country is fascinated with him and turned him into a celebrity, all because he swore on live
television. Once anchors' microphones are on, they need to be mindful of the fact that anything
they say could be aired live, yet Clemente didn't, and now he's being rewarded for it.
I'm in full support of second chances, and I truly believe that we all make mistakes.
I'm aware that he didn't intentionally swear on live television and I know that he certainly does
need a job now. I'd never wish unemployment on anyone, but I'm upset that he's getting those
chances plus much, much more.
Clemente became a well-known face and his mistake went viral within days.
Is that really what our society has come to?
I'm all for people making the most of the life-changing chances given them in life and I'm
completely happy for people who honestly work their way to the top.
I'm not trying to sound hypocritical, I'll fully admit that all of the shows that Clemente now gets
to appear on are the shows that I hope and dream of being on one day, but I plan on doing it the
proper way.
I'm a part of a very large class of journalism students here at Buffalo State and most of us are
trying to make it big and become well known for our journalistic abilities. Sadly, many of us
won't see that opportunity, and that's what frustrates me the most about Clemente's rise to
stardom.
Clemente is possibly a very nice guy, and I'm sure he worked hard to get his first job as an
anchor, perhaps he has extenuating circumstances that make this over-night fame well earned,
but that's not how the media is portraying his story.
There are many Buffalo State students who will graduate fully qualified and eager to earn their
first jobs as journalists, though it will still be very difficult and heartbreaking for those of us
who have to deal with the backlash of the ever-changing journalism industry and shrinking job
market.
If we have to face those problems as good, well-mannered journalists, how come Clemente
doesn't have to worry about finding another job? Why is he's being offered opportunities and
jobs left and right now that he's a pop culture sensation?
Yet, even as hardworking students who know better than Clemente and who would never be as
unprofessional as he was, we will never get the exciting opportunities that Clemente got and we
will never get to appear on all the biggest cable talk shows, all because we did everything right.
If Clemente's fame is a sign of what's important to our culture and what people want to see,
then that could easily discourage me from even wanting to try to make it big as a breakthrough
journalist.
However, I'll choose to use this circumstance as a learning opportunity. For the rest of my time
as a journalism student here at Buffalo State, I will work to learn everything I can about the
changing journalism industry and I will promise myself that I will only work toward becoming a
well-known journalist by earning it the right away.
I will never let a scandal or an inexcusable mistake bring me to the top, and I hope that my
fellow journalism students will join me in trying to bring the industry back to its origin of ethics,
integrity, truth and respect.
Colleen Young can be reached by email at young.record@live.com.
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