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 Josie Jones: What led you to your career?
AML: I decided I wanted to work in communications when I was doing PR work for a study abroad program in Paris. Having no clue how to go about doing that, I decided to return to graduate school, and got my Masters in Mass Communications. After a year of work in a PR firm in Paris, I decided that I was much more suited to journalism. I was attracted to the social betterment aspect of being a reporter, and never felt like my personality or writing was utilized well in marketing. I learned that Kate Daniels Kurz, a friend of the family, was starting up a news site for women journalists, wrote an article for the site, and a year later took up the position of news editor when it opened.
JJ: What types of media do you use in your work?
AML: I use essentially online media. Photography, video, blog, radio, podcasts are all media that I have worked with for our features and our byline portal.
JJ: How has online journalism played a role in your career?
AML: Online journalism is the essence of what I do, as a news editor and a writer. I both scour the web for female bylines, and write my own articles for The WIP, itself a solely online publication.
JJ: Have you experienced any gender biases in your career?
AML: As a PR rep, I certainly experienced very blatant gender bias. It was common knowledge that unattractive candidates in my office "need not apply" and the women I worked with were sometimes criticized for weight gain, or getting pregnant! However, it must be said that these very same women were given the best projects, because they were the strongest candidates.
Thus far, I have yet to personally experience gender bias as a news editor. At The WIP, we frequently partner up with other women-oriented media outlets, so the sisterhood ambiance buffers a lot of gender bias. However, finding female journalists to add to the byline portal is not easy, particularly when the topic veers from "female" story lines. Politics, economics, and business stories are highly male-dominated.
JJ: How have international experiences impacted your career?
AML: Travel, study and working outside of the U.S. have taught me to appreciate the work more than the income! Pay here is lower in general, and taxes much higher, so while the long vacations and govt.-imposed 35 hour work week are pluses, it's important to really enjoy what you do, because most of the time, you're not in it for the money!
Other than that, any international experience will give one a new perspective on how the world can and does operate, which, for reporting on current events, is practically a requirement.
JJ: What do you think are the differences in journalism between France and the United States?
AML: Freedom of speech in the U.S. and France is not the same concept. In a way, privacy is respected here, in a way that it isn't in the U.S. Photographs of individuals belong to the individual -- hence the stars who come to live here for some paparazzi peace -- and politicians' private lives are much more off-limits than in the U.S. France also pays greater attention to what is going on outside of its frontiers, in Europe and further. France's pubs are just as striated and "liberal vs. conservative" as MSNBC and FOX News.
JJ: What was the most challenging part of your transition from being a journalist in the United States to being a journalist in France?
AML: I wasn't a journalist in the U.S., so I can't really offer thoughts on this.
JJ: What do you think is important for other countries to know about the press and journalism in France?
AML: France's press is pretty independent from state influence, although most major publications are owned by center-right entrepreneurs (center right in France would be the equivalent of Democrats in the U.S.) So, while papers can report on the latest Sarkozy scandal, those owned by his personal friends won't go there, for fear of reprisals.
JJ: How do you balance a personal life and still manage to be a successful journalist?
AML: Ha! I'll let you know once I get there. I have a 6-month-old, and my career has taken a backseat so that I can focus on him while he's not yet in daycare. Before I had a baby, I had no problems balancing personal and professional. Being a journalist allows you a lot of freedom to create your own schedule (if you're freelance), which can be a gift and a trick to figure out. Discipline and organization are two vital skills.
JJ: What is the most important aspect of being a news editor for The WIP?
AML: Being a news junkie is by far the most important aspect. Exploring international news publications, curiosity for what's going on in parts of the world that the big pubs aren't covering.
JJ: What advice would you give students who hope to work in journalism in a foreign country?
AML: Go live in the foreign country you'd like to represent. Speak the language, know the politics, the culture, and be willing to put yourself in the "natives'" shoes. Immersing yourself in a foreign culture is necessary to really be able get in touch with people who will be valuable to your stories, as well as give you a perspective that isn't superficial.
JJ: What do students need to learn in order to find careers in international journalism?
AML: Go live in a foreign country, become fluent in more than one language, stay abreast of international news. Living abroad gives automatic street credibility to anyone wanting to report on international news.
JJ: What are some of the defining moments in your career?
AML: As a news editor, being in touch with female journalists around the world is a defining moment that happens on an everyday basis. Working with women who are sometimes putting their lives at risk to report on stories give me something to think about and appreciate every day.
Interviewee: Aralena Malone-Leroy
Aralena Malone-Leroy is the News Editor for The WIP, as well as a contributing writer. In 2006, Malone-Leroy decided to move from San Jose, California to Paris, France with her husband. The couple had their first child, a son, six months ago. Her interest in culture and foreign politics is what took to her Paris for research in Diplomatic Studies at the University of Westminster, and Religious Studies at the Institut d'Etudes Religieuses. Malone-Leroy has a passion for travel, writing and humanitarianism, which she supports through work in public relations in the private and non-profit sector. She is an active member of the LAAFI (Learning And Achievement Foundation International) Association, which is dedicated to improving education in Burkina Faso. Malone-Leroy handles LAAFI’s marketing and outreach literature. Malone-Leroy received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in French and International Studies from Santa Clara University, and a Masters Degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from San Jose State University.
Interviewer: Josie Jones
Josie Jones is currently in her third year at The University of Iowa. The 20-year-old is majoring in journalism and psychology. While in high school in Denver, Iowa, Jones also had an interest in Spanish. Besides being a full-time student, Jones works at Abercrombie and Fitch as well as at The Daily Iowan where she is an arts and culture reporter. She believes that both jobs have prepared her to work with diverse groups of people as well as become more outgoing and friendly. Balancing school, work, and a still being able to maintain a social life is difficult, but something Jones feels she manages well with the help of Post-its and her planner. Jones enjoys traveling and spending time with her friends and family. Jones is the oldest daughter of two. She and her sister do not have any sibling rivalry despite being only a year apart—they actually consider the other a best friend. Jones has an interest in gender and the mass media because she believes women offer an influential role in today’s society through a variety of outlets.
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