Chinatown Frenzy

Frustrating is the first word that comes to mind when I started my interviewing for the Chinese New Year by going to the Chinatown parade. People swarmed the area surrounding Mott Street as they waited impatiently for the parade to begin. I set out to interview shop and bodega owners in the area to find an angle for a story, especially in reference to the declining economy. Many owners did not speak English or did not want to be interviewed. This set the tone for the rest of the afternoon as I attempted to find people in the crowd of parade-goers to talk about their personal financial experiences in the present state of the economy. Once a few started talking with me, it got a bit easier to find people more willing to talk. I realized that I had to put myself out there and ask as many people as I could because eventually people started responding to the questions.

            During this experience, I learned a lot about reporting and interviewing in New York City. I never realized how difficult it is to interview people. Going into it, I had no idea what people were going to say in regards to my questions, so I did not know what article I would be able to write from the quotes I would receive. After my first time interviewing, I learned that it is necessary to get full contact information for any people that I interview. I forgot to ask my interviewees their ages as well as their hometowns because in the heat of the moment I did not remember all the essentials. I also need to learn a better short hand so that I can accurately write down everything that the interviewees say. You never know what gem of a quote a person will say, so you always have to be ready for it. I also want to improve my professional demeanor when reporting so that I develop a mutual respect and comfort with the person I am interviewing.

            One story that I believe would be interesting to pursue would be the takeover of Little Italy by Chinatown. When I was in the neighborhood, I noticed that the once historic neighborhood of Little Italy has been shortened to a few blocks along Mulberry Street. This story could be done at different angles, such as a reaction piece with perspectives of Little Italy residents and business owners as well as Chinese business owners who have taken over the neighborhood. The impact of this story may not be on a national level, but it is important to the people in that neighborhood as well as tourists who are going to this area.

            Next time, I plan on being more prepared with questions and a positive outlook, and hopefully I will get a few good quotes to make a good news story.