Adam Bowie

Joel Plaskett with reporter Adam Bowie

I love my job.

Every single day, I walk into the newsroom at the Daily Gleaner and sit down at my desk and sort through dozens of emails from readers, sources, colleagues, and contacts and begin making sense of the news happening in my community.

I’ve written stories that have inspired change – real change – in the lives of New Brunswickers, such as a series of pieces that forced the provincial ambulance system to outfit its fleet of ambulances with winter-specific tires.

On the other hand, I’ve enjoyed writing stories that celebrate the talented local musicians who ply their trade on stages throughout the capital region.

Back in 2006, I had no idea what I was supposed to do with my life. I’d had a bunch of different experiences, such as studying broadcast journalism in Belleville, Ont., working briefly in radio in Moncton, writing reports for the provincial government in my hometown of Miramichi, and was in the middle of an Honours English degree at St. Thomas University.

I took a journalism intro course as an elective and got a special feeling when I received my first A+. It felt like home.

I decided to graduate with my Honours English classmates in May 2007 so I’d be available if an opportunity came up. But I fully expected to return to STU classrooms and continue the journalism programme.

When I submitted my resume and clips package to Fredericton’s historic daily newspaper the Daily Gleaner, which has been recording the capital region’s news since 1880, I didn’t realize that I was walking into the perfect situation for a young, hungry reporter.

Interviewing a peace activist

The assignments started slow and picked up at a tremendous pace. Before I knew it, I was working five jobs – a job at the CD Plus record store, a job at Roots Clothing Ltd., and writing regular freelance assignments for the Daily Gleaner, the Telegraph-Journal, and the Oromocto Post-Gazette.

My writing was good in those early days, but I’ve consistently worked at improving my ledes, digging up new sources, finding ways to glean new information on old topics, and broaden my story ideas. I never turned down an assignment and found ways to learn from other journalists, whether it was working beside them in the newsroom, or watching them work a press conference with Prime Minister Stephen Harper (I got to ask him a question at a nationally televised media session in 2008.)

Since I began writing for the Daily Gleaner, I’ve had the opportunity to interview thousands of interesting people.

Talented musical performers like blues legend Buddy Guy, indie-rock heroes Bloc Party, East Coast icon Joel Plaskett, member of the Allman Brothers Band Derek Trucks (and his wife, blues singer Susan Tedeschi), Matt Mays, Sam Roberts, Corb Lund, The Weakerthans, and many, many more.

I’ve spoken with sports icons Paul (The Goal) Henderson, WWE superstar The Edge, five-time Vezina Trophy winner Ken Dryden, CFL legend Pinball Clemons, and Hockey Hall of Fame hero Bobby Hull.

Interviewing David Suzuki

I’ve sat down with David Suzuki, watched a concert from the side of the stage with fiddler Ashley MacIsaac, shared time with Holocaust survivor Esther Bem, and interviewed author Roch Carrier about his love for literacy and the Montreal Canadiens.

Now I write a weekly music column, work my health beat for new angles, and feel like I’m part of a special industry.

I know this is a unique time for newspapers, and many young journalists are staying far away from the world of ink.

But I wanted to be part of a special group; a tradition that is able to dig deeper into issues, and provide context that is sometimes difficult to achieve in the other journalistic mediums.

Will my life change in the future? No doubt. I don’t have my head in the sand. But I think I’m building skills that will be needed – whether that’s on the printed page, or on the screen of your computer monitor or iPhone.

So far, I’m making my way in the world. I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. I believe in what I do. And every day I love it more and more.

Adam Bowie

Class of 2007

Short URL: http://www.newbrunswickbeacon.ca/?p=3252

Posted by By Adam Bowie (Originally published Nov 16, 2010) on Feb 24, 2012. Filed under From the field. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.