CBS New York's Craig Wilson Visits Camosun College Students - Presentation Write Up

Big Apple drops in Garden City, C. Peckham, April 04, 2018

There are rules to follow when telling a story; and according to award winning journalist Craig Wilson of CBS News, that means you observe, and report accurately and fairly. “You have to tell both sides honestly”, he says. Solid advice for a class of would be journalists and broadcasters.

He attributes his success to hard work, a little luck and opportunity, and says, “All I did was act on opportunity – and desperately try not to fail.”  Wilson says life is about intersections, and simple moments. And those moments can change your life.

Craig Wilson’s moments lead him to a successful career in broadcasting, and while he usually reports good news, he’s been there for much of the bad also. He’s covered every war since 1995, covered every school shooting since he arrived in the USA, and was on the ground reporting from the place he calls home, New York city, when the World Trade Centre was attacked in 2001.

 Asked how he manages to stay focused on the job during these events and Wilson says that it’s easy to remain a professional when covering those bad moments, but it’s when the lights go out that things come back on you. He says, “PTSD is real. You don’t have to fire a gun to get PTSD, it’s what you witness, (and) observe.” To help keep him grounded he says that it helps to be reminded that when they cover a bad news story, they get to leave and go home after a few days, but for the people left behind, they’re still dealing with it, sometimes will be for a very long time.  Wilson says this is where the true story lies, with the people, so when you tell the story you do so through the people that are affected by the issue. He says, “Yes, things affect you, but never forget why you’re there – you’re there to tell someone’s story”.

He says we should ask ourselves who our audience is, because the goal is to make our stories personal and impactful. This is why Wilson also recommends that when you write, you write for an audience of one, but also says to keep it in mind that a larger audience, with varied perceptions, is reading. To that end he says you have to read things from all political sides and read from a variety of credible sources. He says, “You should always think about - what is the intention of everyone - because to understand the intention then reveals a little bit more of the truth.”

Wilson believes that people need to be engaged in their world and that connecting with media is a way for them to do that. As a result, he feels a personal responsibility when reporting, and says despite whatever his beliefs are, they don’t come through in his work because it is his job to be a filter. A job he takes very seriously. He says, “We own our stories, we own our experiences, they’re sort of what define us and hopefully make us good at what we do.”