8 Questions with....Joshua Gear!

It's 8 questions with Josh Gear!  Joshua is IWCC alum and an incredibly talented photog and multimedia journalist.  He has been in industry for a decade and he's awesome.  Here is 8 questions with Joshua!

Brief Career synopsis: Recently marked 10 years working at KETV in Omaha. Previously worked two years in community access broadcasting and small-market radio in Harlan, Iowa.

1) What made you want to do this for a living?

I’ve always had a strong appreciation for getting to meet new people and experience new things. That’s the best part about doing what I do: every day is different.

2) As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Growing up, I’d considered going into law enforcement or the music industry. That was until my sophomore year of high school when, during a group assignment, I was tasked with handling the video portion of the piece.

3) What is the biggest challenge facing your industry?

The biggest long-term challenge local media faces is adapting for the future. Look at most newspapers and you’ll see the issue of trying to transition to an online-majority platform and the struggles that come with it. Television isn’t quite to that point, but all journalists, present and future, need to be prepared for whatever the next step is.

4)  5 WORDS OR LESS - What is the most brutal part of your job?

Interviewing those who’ve lost family.

5) 5 WORDS OR LESS - What is the best part of your job?

Making a difference with storytelling.

6) What is the biggest misconception about your job?

Previously, I’d have argued pay (or lack thereof!) is the biggest misconception, but with the tumultuous political climate, the biggest misconception most people have is that we in local media are trying to push some sort of agenda, liberal or conservative. When you’re getting emails from Democrats AND Republicans saying they’re unhappy, I feel like we’re doing our job. News isn’t supposed to placate people’s biases, it’s to inform the public.

7) Fill in the blank ...“The problem with newbies is they don’t know how…

...to track a story.” I’ve been fortunate, between my time in local radio and my education at IWCC, to have worked with people who are acutely aware of how important vocal performance is in broadcasting. It’s an important skill, and I wish more schools worked to deliver on this. A good voice track makes a good story great, and an average story sound professional.

8) What industry related skill/software do you wish you knew more about?

In retrospect, I did myself a great disservice in not studying more Adobe products like Photoshop and After Effects. I’ve got a basic understanding of both programs, but technical mastery of those programs can get you a long way in the job market, be it news or any sort of corporate communications.