We have been reaching out to journalists and media professionals to chat with them about their experiences in the industry and what’s been happening ‘Around the Press’. We had the opportunity to interview Ryan McLeod an award-winning writer, journalist and documentary photographer from Vancouver, Canada. “I was born into a very political and news savvy family in Ottawa Ontario and I think I always knew I would end up documenting the lives of those around me.” A veteran of seven years in the journalistic field, McLeod has covered ranch life, rodeos, professional sports and news in four major Canadian cities and many small towns.
Ryan McLeod
Content and Digital Marketing Specialist
Hitfar
Twitter: @Hitfar @rmphotoca
- What piques your interest and curiosity about a story?
The human element is always the most important thing for me. What is the heart of the story and is it something worth telling. I have always had a passion for giving a voice to those who need it most. So I would say, not the chance to be an advocate, but the chance to bring a story to light so others feel the desire to advocate for or against a cause.
- What advice would you give to PR professionals working with journalists?
Always be sincere and know why your story is important beyond your bottom-line or analytics. A good journalist will see through the BS, so you need to be genuine and concise with your message.
- What story are you most proud of, either writing or photographing or both.
I have two stories that mean the world to me. I covered a house fire on a farm years ago and it turned out I personally knew the family. I still had a job to do and for me it was important to not take any extra caution or sensitivity into the live news story. It tested my professionalism and my ability to be impartial, but I feel I covered the story well and even got to cover the aftermath of the devastating fire.
Secondly, I covered a story about a young man who, much like myself, suffered from numerous concussions throughout his hockey career. It was a 7 month long investigative piece that helped a young man find closure on a chapter of his life and brought light to the wrongdoings of a major hockey organization at the same time.
Thanks for chatting with us, Ryan!
Have a story you would like to share? Let us know on Twitter at @PRTheAgency or in the comment section below!
