MAJ Archives

A journalist's profile, stories and career in the field of journalism. Know a journalist who should be profiled here? Send an e-mail to Janet E. Bardon.

September 14, 2001
Annette Phillips
Municipal Affairs Reporter, The Kingston Whig-Standard
annette_phillips@canada.com

Well I'm not a writer. That's not to say I can't write, rather that I wasn't drawn to journalism because I saw myself as an author of important literary works.

I'm a graduate of Niagara College in Welland, Ontario, and I don't know exactly how or why I fell into the business. I was a professional musician with plans to become a recording engineer. I soon found I hated recording engineering and from there, I sort of drifted into journalism for lack of interest in anything else. I met Austin Jelbert - a real reporter if ever there was one - who retired from the newspaper business to run the j-school. Mr. Jelbert knew from day one that I had found my niche and encouraged my talent.

I ran a family business for a while and worked in PR/communications, but if I have a destiny, it's to do what I'm doing now: delivering thoughtful, provocative, powerful news.

Like I said, I'm not a writer, but I am a true reporter. There's nothing comparable to the thrill of uncovering a good story, chasing the hidden elements and sharing that knowledge with a willing and participative readership.

I'm also a compulsive fixer and a defender of the underdog. I'm not sure anyone would want the job otherwise. Delivering the good stories means knowing when to dig, what to dig for and how to go about it, but it also means tremendous dedication - and frequently a commitment of personal time - to see the story through.

Since September, 2000, I've been covering the story of Ian Murray, a sheep farmer who was forced into a legal battle with the Ontario government over false information held on a government database. Murray, and dozens of others, were victims of their family doctor who defrauded the Ontario Hospital Insurance Plan by billing for services he never rendered. In Murray's case, the doctor billed OHIP more than 30 times for treatment of brain tumours, alcoholism and mental illness, none of which Murray had. The province's Information and Privacy Commissioner eventually ordered the OHIP database purged of false claims. She also ordered sweeping changes to the way the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care manages personal information. And the Ontario Government paid Murray's $23,000 legal bill.

I've also covered the bizarre case of Lucy Lu, a Chinese immigrant whom Immigration Canada is attempting to deport because she pleaded guilty to bludgeoning her first husband to death with a meat cleaver. Instead of getting on the plane as she was told, Lu took refuge inside a Kingston church last November (with her second husband) and has thus far avoided deportation.

My regular beat is Kingston city hall. I'm not sure if a passion for municipal affairs reporting is a prerequisite for journalists looking to a future in daily print media, but it certainly is a common thread among reporters. Municipal government illustrates the best and worst of democracy while providing ongoing entertainment. You haven't lived until you've covered a municipal council meeting in rural Ontario.

One of the biggest challenges we face as journalists is maintaining balance. The volume of information available, the pace at which the information comes at us and the pressure to deliver competitive news have significantly altered the landscape of the business. We're unknowingly compromising balanced presentation in our race to feed the machine and in our bid to lure customers.

The down side of the job: People won't like you much, so news reporting isn't for the thin-skinned or sensitive.

It's a tough, demanding job. Reporters have to be tenacious, persistent, focused, firm and intelligent; personable enough to talk people into talking; outgoing enough to develop a broad contact base and trustworthy enough to maintain those sources.

We write stories that cause genuine pain and when we hurt someone, it is with the knowledge that we'll have to look that person in the eye again someday.

We make mistakes and when we do, the whole world knows it.

The up side: Journalists have the unique ability to make contacts in many different sectors. Professional contacts sometimes evolve into mentorship roles. Watch for these opportunities and capitalize on them for the learning experience.

In no other profession do you find so many captivating people with such a broad realm of fascinating experiences. Being able to share the happy, sad - and sometimes absurd - tales of some truly remarkable people is a tremendously rewarding experience.

Two don'ts:

• Never bow to pressures that will keep you from seeking - or printing - the truth.
• Don't stick around if you're not having fun.