Megan Pociask: What it's like covering growth and development as a newcomer
Writing and reporting are two things that have been a constant force throughout my life. I have a grandfather who reported for the Associated Press, a grandmother who endured wartime occupation in a foreign country with highly restricted press and an aunt who also happens to be a writer, so the importance of freedom of speech is truly something that was ingrained in me from an early age.
I was involved in student publications throughout college and freelanced for local publications when my husband and I eventually moved to Raleigh.
Since then, my husband and I have moved to Wilmington and while I’ve spent summers vacationing here, living and working in this area is entirely new to me.
Why is growth and development important?
Whether people like it or not, the fact of the matter is that Wilmington and New Hanover County are growing.
There are issues regarding space, cost of living, workforce opportunities and more that are all a result of population growth. I firmly believe that people who live here have the right to know what’s going on within their community because often, it directly impacts their day-to-day. Work on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge or apartments popping up in overcrowded school districts are issues that affect people throughout the county and beyond.
The latest news: Read Megan Pociask's most recent stories.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
There are two things that I find most challenging about my job. The first is probably obvious, but because I’m a newcomer, there’s quite a bit of activity to catch up with.
Such activity brings me to my second challenge — there’s so much happening in New Hanover County that sometimes it feels like we can’t get the stories out fast enough! That’s why I encourage people to reach out to me, it really helps when trying to discern what’s most important to locals.
What’s rewarding about your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is getting to engage with readers! I love reading emails about updates to a project that was once written about, or emails expressing appreciation for coverage. While it’s impossible to cover every idea pitched, it’s still nice to hear from readers and have their concerns on my radar.
Also, as a newbie to the area, going to meetings and events can be incredibly helpful (and therefore rewarding) in better grasping the never-ending goings on of the city and county.
New year, new developments: 13 projects to watch in New Hanover County in 2024
What do you wish people knew about your job?
I wish some people knew that covering growth and development, or any news for that matter, is nonstop. There are always projects to cover, and I can guarantee that the entire newsroom is doing our very best to report what we know.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Megan Pociask: Reporting on Wilmington and New Hanover County
