November 3 Recap: Chapel Hill Magazine

Chapel Hill Magazine—Andrea Griffith

· Focuses on the town of Chapel Hill—“intensely local”

· Lifestyle mag more than city mag: Snapshot of life in Chapel Hill, celebratory

· Sister publication Durham Magazine

· Five years old, publish 6 issues a year

· It works because it’s intensely local at a time when media outlets have backed away from being local

· Sponsors fundraisers, goes to fundraisers, partners in the community

· Not objective the way newspapers are, like to support businesses and local community

· Also has a blog, twitter, facebook—tries to be present online

· Web is key for magazines because it allows a magazine to do what a printed page cannot. (audio, video, etc.)

· Annual bridal guide with the Carolina Inn

· Writes a lot of stories in house

Things CHM wants to do better:

· Enhance content through events (ex: food festival along with foodie issue)

· More custom publications (partners with Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce to publish shopping/neighborhood/business guides)

“Be willing to do the grunt work, you’ll always be rewarded”

“There’s a lot of value in reporting skills, even if you just want to be an editor”

“If you’re gonna do it, do it well. It’s hard to recover”

“Go, get out, talk to people. That’s how you get the best story ideas, that’s how you get the best interviews.”

“First impressions are priceless”

“Every gets e-mails, you have to really make an impression.”

“Just stay calm”

“When you can reach people emotionally, it’s a goldmine”

“The single most important quality is to have a bunch of qualities”

Emailing for an internship: Catch someone’s attention. It’s a creative industry and we’re looking for creative mind. Attach clips in the first email. Looks at experience/involvement over GPA and major.

What’s the biggest thing to show your potential?: bring ideas to the table, come with knowledge, know the publication. Understand the mission of the magazine. If you haven’t had a story published, go ahead and write one on spec. Only editorial interns for now.

Interviewing: be enthusiastic, available, smart but honest. Look nice.