As a sophomore at Colorado College, Jesse Paul, a politics editor and writer for The Colorado Sun, landed his first internship in his hometown’s newspaper in Delaware. Hooked on journalism after this experience, he continued work on Colorado College’s school paper and took further internships until he was ultimately offered a position while interning at The Denver Post.
The decision to begin writing in politics, however, was not a decision of his own, as he began his career covering what he called, “cops, and courts, and breaking news”.
During his time at The Post, the company was going through multiple layoffs and buyouts and Paul was essentially left with a job writing about politics, or nothing.
“I actually really fell in love with it,” said Paul. “There’s not really a beat that’s like it where everyone is just lying to you all the time and you have to try and fact check stuff, but once you kind of dig into the players and you understand policy and how the capital works, it becomes pretty addictive and fun.”
Paul began working at The Colorado Sun when a bunch of his colleagues broke away from The Post in 2018. Since this transition he’s continued writing in the field of politics, yet his favorite project is a story he worked on about priest abuse in the Catholic Church in Colorado.
When reports began to be released about priests abusing people, multiple other victims began publicly sharing their stories. Paul got the opportunity to visit one of these victims in Western Massachusetts and share the story of his experiences and how it affected his childhood in Colorado.
While such in-depth stories may be fascinating to the writer, Paul acknowledged how the majority of the reason stories get created is for the audience.
“Sometimes there’s fun pieces of journalism that you do that may be complicated and important, but people don’t care about them too much,” said Paul.
During the legislative session, which concluded the night prior to my meeting with Paul, a typical day began around 9 a.m., where he would spend the day listening to meetings on chamber floors and attending committee hearings.
Since the conclusion of the sessions, Paul will transition his work to focus on elections under November. The next few months will be full of meetings with candidates, attending events, looking through campaign finance documents, and talking to as many people as possible.
“An a typical day for me might look like when the Marshal Fires started,” said Paul. “I’m sitting here and then all of a sudden I’m in Boulder for twelve hours, and living out of my car for three days.”
In discussing the downsides to his career, Paul mentioned how difficult some stories can be to write when you have an attachment to the topic being criticized. He also admitted to still feeling uncomfortable speaking with random people on the street especially about sensitive political issues.
Paul also stressed the importance of aspiring journalists working at their school’s newspapers as he believes it is the best way to submit content to be considered for an internship. He also advised students to really study major news corporations and interact with journalists either by email or by tweeting at them.
“Being a reporter is something that is trial by fire,” said Paul. “You learn how to ask questions, and how to work resources, and talk to people. That’s something that you have to figure out on your own, there’s no one that can teach you that stuff.”
According to an article from Best Colleges, curiosity is journalism’s foundation. A degree in journalism allows a student to implement their research, interview and writing skills to inform a community of readers and viewers.
“Journalism careers require comfort with new technology, essential data analysis ability, and strong writing and grammar skills,” states Best Colleges. “Critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving are also crucial skills for journalists.”
Paul earned his bachelor’s degree from Colorado College, which is required to be a journalist according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Additionally, the Bureau’s statistics state that the state of Colorado is home to nearly 750 employed news analysts, reporters and journalists, with the majority employed in radio and television broadcasting, followed by newspapers and other forms of publishing.
“While journalism students once specialized in writing or broadcast, today’s journalism programs incorporate both of these skills in order to enhance traditional and emerging media channels,” states the Best Colleges article.
As of 2021, the Bureau estimates that on average, journalists make just under $50,000 per year or nearly $25 an hour. However, in metropolitan areas the typical reporter makes far more, as the Bureau estimates journalists in the Denver area to make over $80,000 per year.
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics project a 11% decline in the employment of reporters, Paul is content and happy in his career. Through his educational experiences and the relationships he has made with colleagues and his community along the way, Paul has found a familiarity in writing and editing politics journalism.
“Don’t forget to ask a lot of stupid questions,” advised Paul. “The only way you get to to the bottom of stuff is if you ask stupid questions, and the more questions you ask the better your story is gonna turn out.”
MFJS Reporter Spring 2022 