BY EMILY GAHAFER, STAFF WRITER
Bellarmine students heard about journalism from a journalism rock star on Feb. 1. Former CNN correspondent David Mattingly came to BU to discuss the ethics of journalism, along with the highs and the lows of the profession. He spoke with several classes during his visit to campus.
Mattingly got his start at a Tuscaloosa, Alabama, television station and eventually became a CNN correspondent known for his storytelling skills. He has covered national stories such as Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. During his career, he had the privilege of meeting, interviewing or covering every American president since Gerald Ford and described them to the students with great detail.
However, for Mattingly, the more important stories were the ones that involved average people who were facing hard times.
“The greatest honor I have been called to is to interview someone on the worst day of their life and do them justice,” Mattingly said.
When reporting on an event, Mattingly valued being in the moment with the subject. He stressed the importance of the journey and the authenticity it brings to a story. He offered tips to the students on best practices for authentic journalism.
“Be fearless in asking questions and relentless in getting answers,” Mattingly said.
The setting of an interview is just as important as the questions being asked, Mattingly said. It dictates the tone and comfort level of the subject of the interview. More than anything, he said to maintain one’s integrity at all times.
Mattingly shared clips of various stories he covered over the years utilizing his in-the-moment reporting style. He said while it brings authenticity to the story, it can backfire in certain situations. A comical example he shared was a story out of Havana, Illinois, about the spread of the fish species Asian Carp. The fish were vastly overpopulated in streams and rivers to the point that they became a nuisance and violently jumped from the water. During filming, Mattingly was hit by fish jumping into the boat causing him injury, but laughed if off saying, “that’ll leave a mark.”
His compelling stories and vast knowledge kept students hanging on his every word. The experience was worthwhile for any aspiring journalist or communication major.
“Having Mr. Mattingly speak to our class today was great because he has so many life experiences to share with us,” senior communication major Lakin Pack said.
“He’s been through the ups and downs in his career and has the background to share with people who are looking at the beginning of their careers. Being able to have such a close candid conversation with such a rockstar in the communication field is one of the many benefits of going to a small school.”
Students had the opportunity to pick Mattingly’s brain and learn from his vast experience.
“To have someone of David’s professional caliber and integrity visit our campus is invaluable for our students,” communication professor Dr. Michael Strawser said. “His message to commu-nication classes was a reminder to pursue and report the truth. David brought to life the reality that honest accurate journalism is what keeps a free country ‘free.’ Students seemed to greatly appreciate his emphasis on storytelling and bringing the narrative to life.”