Katie Livermore is an incoming senior at Oregon State University majoring in international studies and creative writing with minors in journalism and chemistry.

Each summer, The Bulletin is proud to host an intern from the Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism, a University of Oregon program that helps young journalists work in real newsrooms across Oregon.

This year, Katie Livermore, an Oregon State University student, has been learning the ropes at The Bulletin, tackling stories ranging from criminal cases to veteran Girl Scout profiles and generally learning what it takes to be a community journalist. 

I asked Katie a few questions about her experiences so far this summer. Her answers — edited slightly for brevity — remind me of what I love about our work at The Bulletin; it’s not all about the paper we produce or even the individual articles we report. It’s about the bigger picture: making connections in the community we share, and providing our readers with the tools and information they need to live their best lives in Central Oregon. 

1.) What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about community journalism so far during your internship?

The vital role local journalism plays in connecting and celebrating community members. Without fact-based news, many would be left with unanswered questions, misinformation and a feeling of disconnect from the rest of the community. When there are road closures, sales of major attractions or new housing developments, the goal is to report as soon as possible while taking extra care to be factually correct. Throughout my internship, I witnessed the dedication of reporters, photographers and editors with quick deadlines, solid reporting and careful editing. The result was astounding. I had sources reach out to me thanking me for writing pieces, suggesting new pieces to write and even one recommended their favorite coffee shop to me (they read my biography and saw I loved exploring Bend’s coffee scene). I always thought I would enjoy working for bigger publications that do national work, but the small town connections are some of the best experiences I’ve ever had. It allows us to integrate ourselves with locals on a micro level and create long-lasting relationships.

2.) What has surprised you the most? 

One day, I was sent out into the community to find my own stories. My script was “I’m an intern at The Bulletin out looking for stories. What’s been going on in your community lately?” I was surprised to find wonderful stories and be treated with such kindness by every individual I engaged with. Many gave me their phone numbers and told me about stories that affected them as community members. One person even recognized it’s difficult to make friends in a new place and offered to take me hiking or to one of her favorite lakes. The role local journalism plays is, again, about engaging people through information, warnings, and updates, but most importantly through connection. I was excited to see that stories about people, for example, my stories on the Girl Scout, migrant workers getting their GED and students with special needs showing sheep at the fair, received the most engagement from readers.  

3.) What does The Bulletin do differently than other news outlets you’ve read or watched? 

At The Bulletin, it’s clear that the community is at the front of everyone’s mind. The Bulletin’s slogan reads “Empowering Our Community,” and that’s not just a slogan – it’s a mission statement. Each day, every reporter and editor arrives with the mindset of what the Bend and surrounding communities would benefit from knowing. We also take great pride in our commitment to bringing events, information and interesting stories to the community. My favorite part about The Bulletin is how we don’t just follow strict rules. Instead, there are meaningful conversations about which stories should take space on the page, time from the reporters, editors and photographers. These stories aim to engage and inform the community in the best way possible. For example, I recently wrote about the Airshow of the Cascades, and the goal was to share an upcoming event community members would be interested in. From there, they could spend a few minutes reading a fun story and have the chance to experience a new event. 

4.) We pride ourselves on serving not just print readers, but a broad and growing digital audience. Can you tell us about how young journalists are preparing for that, and how The Bulletin is helping you learn about serving digital readers? 

I’m an incoming senior at Oregon State University and spent last year working as Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Barometer, our school newspaper. Each year we’ve cut down print issues from daily, weekly, biweekly and during my time, monthly. I realized it was time for the Barometer to lean more toward our online audiences, especially with college-aged readers. Young journalists are aware of the current struggles of print journalism, so during these past few years, I’ve had the chance to explore different mediums like website building, accessibility measures (story narrations) and video reporting. When I arrived at The Bulletin, I learned so much more about digital journalism and how we can use different tools to engage our audiences and create a space online to explore the local community. Editors and reporters introduced me to how the website works, how we can find our statistics and I even had the chance to practice making videos and helping out with Instagram and Facebook. My favorite part has been watching this incredible teamwork day and night publishing print for those who continue reading on paper and uploading stories online all while writing, editing and taking photos. 

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Thank you, Katie, for your hard work this summer. 

– Julie Johnson, city editor