Undergraduate / Ryerson-Journalism Application Essay: Anderson Cooper's Coverage of Hurricane Katrina [3]

Tell us in approximately 300 words how a specific work of journalism (not your own) had an impact on your desire to study
journalism. It can be from newspapers, magazines, broadcast or online news sources.

Here is my essay...

Anderson Cooper's Coverage of Hurricane Katrina

It is often said that one of the golden rules of journalism is to remain unbiased. While it is important to focus on facts, I sometimes feel as though reporters lose their ability to share human emotions in the pursuit of an unbiased product. It is refreshing to see a reporter who is able to cover a story with raw, human emotion, while always maintaining their journalistic integrity. One such reporter is Anderson Cooper. In his coverage of Hurricane Katrina, he displayed raw emotion towards the situation unlike anything I had ever seen. The humanity in his work has inspired me to study journalism so that one day I may too be able to not only cover stories and do a job, but also connect with people on such a deep level.

While covering Hurricane Katrina, there was a moment that the otherwise unbiased reporter, Anderson Cooper, let down his guard and allowed his emotions to shine through. During an interview with Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, the Senator began to thank other politicians for their post-hurricane efforts. Cooper interjected, saying that people were dying in the streets around him, people were angry, and that her words may "cut them the wrong way". He asked Landrieu where the help was, and shared personal accounts of the horrors he had witnessed. Anderson Cooper was defending those he had connected with; those he had struggled with as they lost their homes, their livelihoods, and in all too many cases, their loved ones. Never did he sacrifice his journalistic integrity, nor did he stray from the facts; he simply allowed himself to feel as humans are meant to feel. He put the humanity back into reporting.

I continue, to this day, to be moved by the reporting done on Hurricane Katrina, as for many days, it seemed as though the reporters were the only people willing to go to those in the effected areas. Anderson Cooper's coverage, however, struck another chord. A much deeper, more human chord, that continues to resonate with me today, as I hopefully begin my journey into the world of journalism.

Any tips, ideas, corrections, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!