Profile of Jesse Garcia

By Elizabeth Lucas

Pacific Tribune Staff Writer

The Assignment Editor and Internship Coordinator of NBC Universal had paid Southwestern College a visit on Wednesday, September 22^nd, 2010.

Jesse Garcia, age 33, a native of San Diego, is the Assignment Editor and Internship Coordinator of NBC 7/39. He has worked at NBC for three years, and prior to that he has worked the same positions at the ABC affiliate, Channel 10, for seven years, making it ten years total in the business, eight years as an Internship Coordinator.

Before starting off in the business, Jesse Garcia had graduated from the University of San Diego as a Communication with Media Emphasis and Spanish double Major.

Jesse Garcia was pulled into the business in an interesting manner. He explained the situation that started his career into the media:

“Basically, I was at a San Diego Gulls’ hockey game. I saw the news crew doing a live shot down from the tunnel area where the hockey players come out, and I’d always had a curiosity about news…I went down there, kind of checking it out. I saw them doing their live shot, recognized that it was a sports guy at the time….During in between hits, he was hanging out. I got his attention, kind of introduced myself, told him I was interested in sports….So, how can I get into this? How can I be on a sports team or, you know, reporting for one, or ESPN and all that stuff? He told me, ‘well, you got to start by interning.’ So, how do I intern? I didn’t know anything about it. I was already in college, but I never really asked about it, didn’t know anybody who’d gone through one, and backing up even further than that, I was the first generation college student, so I couldn’t ask my parents about it. So I was kind of taking my first steps by myself. He told me how, asked me some questions, told me to call him on a certain date for an interview. As a sports junkie, I aced his little quiz, and he brought me on board.”

Working for the sports department, though, had some disadvantages for the sports fanatic.

“So, I interned at the sports department at Channel 10, really enjoyed it, it was a lot of fun, but I kind of noticed that as a die-hard fan of sports, working in sports was kind of like it took away from being a fan,” Jesse Garcia explained in discussion of his internship. “I kind of noticed that about myself, it was a job….I never thought about that. I’m a die-hard fan, but does that translate into what I want to do for a living, and covering everything else? Not so much.”

Then Jesse describes the shift in career path that he took during his internship for the sports department.

“Well, in between doing that and running tapes down from the sports department, which was upstairs, to the news room to the tape room, I would notice all the chaos in the news room, and at one area in particular, called the Assignment Desk,” he explained. “So, I started poking around the Assignment Desk, ‘hey, what do you guys do?’….They said, ‘well, we oversee pretty much the news of the day, we’re in charge of breaking news, we monitor police scanners, we make phone calls, we set up stories, we assign stories.’ [It] pretty much the main, central part of the news room, as far as information gathering, assignments, and everything else. I thought, ‘wow, that sounds pretty cool.’ Second semester came around, I decided, well, I’m going to apply to the Assignment Desk. Got an internship as an Assignment Desk intern, poked around, got to know what everybody did, started doing it myself, started developing my own networks, making phone calls, and just kind of being involved, they’re all hands-on, asking them what I can do, and trying to be as helpful as I could. Asking lots of questions and what not.”

Transferring over from the sports department to the Assignment Desk at the Channel 10 station, an opportunity opened up for Jesse Garcia that he jumped at the chance to have.

“That translated into the possibility of getting a job because somebody was going out on maternity leave, and they decided that they weren’t going to come back,” he further adds in detailing how the internship turned into a career. “So I knew the position was coming up. I asked about it, I applied for it, and they said, ‘well, the job is yours, but under one condition….’ This is back when I’ve been out of college for a while, so they said, ‘Your first day is going to have to be an overnight shift, December 31^st, 1999.”…I told them, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it, no problem,’ on the spot. I did it, worked the overnight shifts….And I’ve been in the business for ten years, so it was worth it.”

In further explanation of the situation that led to his job, he added, “There was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to work at an ABC affiliate, there was nothing more important to me at the time than getting my foot in the door and starting off my career. That’s everybody’s goal out of college, I would hope. So I took it….”

Of course, there shouldn’t be a job where there aren’t places and benefits for someone to look forward to, and there was no exception to Jesse’s job. He specifically enjoys the breaking news part of his job. “When something crazy is going on, a major news story, it gets my adrenaline going. I’m real competitive by nature…so, when big stories like that come up, I have the opportunity to perform and get people moved to where they need to be so I can beat the competition. To me, that’s number one. Getting the information out accurately, getting it first, being there on the spot first, and having it covered first, is what drives me.”

Jesse Garcia also goes further into detailing the method that he goes into upon hearing of a breaking news story, and how his employees are sent to cover it.

“Literally, we have twelve scanners on the assignment desk. We listen to anything that has a dispatcher….Soon as I hear something, I’m locking it down, I’m listening to see where it’s at, I’m listening to see what it is, what the location is, and at the same time I’m thinking about where all my news crews are, as far as the geography,” he states. “So, I’m thinking of that, I’m thinking about the newsworthiness of it….I’m thinking all of these things while I’m making phone calls….You kind of kick into reporter mode yourself, start asking the appropriate questions that are going to get you the story. So, basically thinking all that stuff, at the same time.”

No job, though, wouldn’t be as fulfilling without the challenges provided.

“Three years ago I was brand new at NBC, so knowing who the people were, what their strengths are, who was who. A lot of the times things happen so you’ve got to call them at home, so where they live, that type of thing,” he explains. “Any general assignment, a reporter can report on any breaking news story, but you get to the point as an Assignment Editor where you kind of have an idea of which ones you’d rather send for certain stories, so that’s where I’m at now.”

The biggest challenge that he’s had to face in his career, though, seems to affect every form of career and position in today’s working environment.

“I’ve seen a lot of turn-around in the business. We’ve had, just at NBC, three waves of lay-offs, people tend to bounce around between stations, too,” he stated. “So, I think one of the biggest challenges is when the economy hits, just like everybody else. People are getting laid off, they’re eliminating positions, so it’s just kind of the fear. It’s a cut-throat business, really.”

With all these changes in the media, and multiple platforms blossoming as methods and ways for the networks to share their information, Jesse Garcia is no exception to the rule that journalism is following the digital and quick path.

“We’re following the trends, already,” he said. “It was a slower process than a lot of the younger generation would’ve liked….Now that [the social networks] exploded, they’ve seen that and seen how it can be useful, and they’ve caught onto it ….We’re all required to have them now, which is great, because it’s now they don’t have one source doing it, now. Now it’s everybody.”

With the success about his job at ABC, there is concern and curiosity about changing over to NBC.

“My switch-over was due to the changing in upper management at ABC,” he explained. “They changed news directors, they changed general managers, their overall vision on news was changing. They were trying to make everybody into a one-man band, so to speak….Which is fine and it works, I don’t think it necessarily works if everybody is doing it, because of the quality. Photographers are experts in photography and video-shooting, editors are experts at editing…writers are experts in writing. I think that’s why they have each position and I think that’s what the majority should be. Now, we do have some one-man bands…and they’re good at what they do, but it’s not like a whole crew doing that and putting together a subpar quality story.”

To him, though, the most rewarding part about working, “as an assignment editor in that position in itself, I would say beating the competition. That’s what I enjoy the most.”

-30-

Pipe Bomb in San Diego, Woman Survives

On Thursday, just before 4:30 p.m., a pipe bomb went off in Rancho San Diego inside the truck of a 52-year-old residential day care worker, Connie Hoagland, whom survived, but endured severe but non-life threatening injuries, according to SanDiego6.com.

First off, this event is tragic and surprising, and leaves open many questions as to why such a disastrous thing could occur. I want to first state that my thoughts are out with the victim, with her family and friends, and I do hope that she will recover from this event. I am also happy to state that she is a survivor for a reason, and that this survival just means a second chance at life. I hope she will pull through.

Why would someone even plant a pipe bomb through a woman's car in the first place? Also, according to SanDiego6.com, this event leads the authorities to suspect a connection between this and the placement of anothing pipe bomb a few blocks from Hoagland's home two weeks ago prior. This opens a lot of questions and even, remarkably, sounds like a story from a famous crime show or something of the works. Who would go through the time and effort to even make the bombs? This doesn't make sense, but since it's a pending case, we won't really know until further investigation.

This is very much a newsworthy story as the event not only caused panic and terror, but even threatened the life of a victim that several people would know. And in a public place, no less. Not to mention that it grabbed the attention of the FBI, the police, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, this is a huge ordeal. Enough even that might cause serious panic and fear in the facility surrounding the explosion and the city.

It's also brought up questions of questions: Will this happen again? When will it happen again? Where? Who would be so deranged and evil enough to create these kinds of bombs? Was there a motive or reason for targeting this woman? Is it just a random act of terrorism? Many, many questions. It rises concern, as well, if other places will be targeted, or if it is a target placed specifically on this one woman. There's a story behind all of this, and many questions that people are wanting answered right away.

This story is still going to be covered, and hopefully the authorities will find out some answers to all of these questions. Not just for the public's sake, but also for the sake of the victim, whom I'm positive is trying to recover from her injuries and is thinking the exact same questions, and then some.

Paris Hilton Avoiding Jail...Again

Why is this such a surprise? Another Hollywood socialite is busted once again for drug possessions.

Paris Hilton was arrested back on August 27 for drug related charges when she was in Las Vegas. It doesn't seem like such a huge surprise, but lately all there seems to be is news of these female celebrities being in trouble with the law on anything from alcohol to drug usage. Ever since Lindsay Lohan had been making headlines about her court time and being sent to jail, it seems that every wannabe-starlight is competing to owning the tabloids' attention. Snooki from Jersey Shore being one of them, having been arrested for drunken disorder, and Paris Hilton being the latest in this never-ending legal drama.

Paris Hilton was arrested in Las Vegas, and, according to many tabloids and reports on E!, Extra, and so forth, her excuse--as so many celebrities who get caught do--was at first the purse that the bag of cocaine had fallen out of was not hers, and then she goes on to state that she confused this package of powdery white substance for "gum."

Okay, first off, is she so desperate to get out of trouble that she can make such an obviously stupid statement, or is she trying to make herself seem that stupid as to say such a thing? Another question I have is why is we, as a whole society, are so weak to have made someone so famous based on simply her name? Where are her parents to have taught her better, and have scolded her for such behavior? I understand that she's 29, she's an adult, but her parents should still be there to have damage control and put in their two-cents worth of her behavior. There is no way that Paris Hilton can be this oblivious--she's made hundred of millions on brands and not just on her name, point proven--but there is no reason for this kind of behavior.

Another thing that Paris should be taking into account is that, despite my personal qualms about her, she is a role model for several young girls. I know quite a few of friends' daughters who look up to her, want to dress like her, hope to be famous like her, and--God forbid--actually like the desperate attempts that they call her music and acting.

Am I surprised that this woman is doing drugs? Absolutely not. She's famous, she's got tons of money, she spends most of her time and career partying and showing up at nightclubs, so of course she's going to be partaking in drugs, drinking, and inappropriate behavior. I would be more surprised if she didn't do those things. What I am incredibly surprised at is that she could be so dumb as to get caught in Las Vegas in front of a police lieutenant with cocaine, and to use the excuses that she did to get out of trouble. Another thing that I am startled by is the fact, after getting arrested, charged, and so forth, she isn't going to spend any actual time in jail, but is only getting probation.

Probation?! Are they insane?! This woman has been busted less than three years ago on a similar situation and had spent less than a month behind bars for her crime. With the situation with Lindsay Lohan narrowly getting out of jail short of one month of her 3-month sentence, I'm up in arms about how the legal process is dealing and punishing these Hollywood socialites. There should be no reason why they get special treatment apart from the public. If I was in Vegas and got caught with a bag of cocaine--and used the same dumb excuses that she did--I would be facing actual time behind bars.

What makes me any different from her other than the money? Why should she be treated any differently? And why would she use those lame excuses? Seriously, she's not an idiot, but she's acting like one, like all the other celebrities that are getting busted like this.

Florida Pastor "Burning" for Attention

Everyone should know now about the controversy involving a Florida Pastor, Rev. Terry Jones, his church, a few copies of the Muslim Holy Book, the Quran, and an Islamic center and mosque being built on ground zero (where the Twin Towers were destroyed). If you don't, allow me to fill you in.

Rev. Terry Jones has threatened to create a protest on September 11, 2010, a demonstration to burn the Quran, in against the building of an Islamic center and mosque on ground zero. The news is frantically covering this story, turning it into the controversy that it has begun, and slightly, the government is even stepping in, not to interfere, (as technically they can't due the Pastor's first amendment rights), but to make statements against it. This has caused a fear in the public that this demonstration is not only wrong, but may even threaten the lives of the soldiers over in Islamic territories.

This is the controversy. Now, here's the problem with this story: the pastor is repeatedly changing his mind on whether he is going to go through with the burning or not, by stating that he is "reconsidering" or "going through with it." What does that say about him? And what does it say about his intentions?

Personally, I think the only reason why this is becoming such a huge controversy, and why this man keeps changing his mind, is that this man is craving and addicted to having attention. In fact, this wouldn't even be a national controversy if the media wasn't covering it and giving him the attention that he is looking for. Does that mean that this story shouldn't news? No, it is news worthy, because it is appealing to the public, but it shouldn't be a national news story. If the media wasn't covering this, then it would only stay local to the specific area that this is happening in, and this man probably wouldn't be effecting so many people as he is now. If only the local news had stayed with this story and it wasn't leaked to other places, this man wouldn't be getting the attention, it wouldn't even be a controversy, and it most likely wouldn't be happening.

Another question that I pose for this man, specifically, is how did the media even learn about this story? Did he inform them, did his congregation inform them, was it leaked to the media from his fellowship? And why is he endangering his life, the lives of his fellowship, and the lives of his fellow church-goers by making such a threat? Murder is against the law in the United States, but to the extremists and radicalists of this religion overseas, this is what they would willingly sacrifice their lives for just to take his life and the lives of his church.

Also, doesn't he realize that he is lowering himself to the level of the men who destroyed the Twin Towers nine years ago? He's using a threat of violence (technically, this is a violent act against a religion and faith) to get what he wants and blackmail a group of people into doing what he needs. He's diminishing himself to a level of scum and deception. As well as being a hypocrite, as a reverend is meant to preach peacefulness, kindness, and respect under God's law towards your fellow man, no matter what religion the other man follows. It's a very hypocritical, sneaky, and suspicious method that this man is taking just to get some attention.

So, why do we give him attention? Why do we post this story in the national news and media? Why do we make it such a huge controversy that it has become? We don't need to. If the media hadn't blown this up larger than what it was, then this man wouldn't have the attention he has, his threat wouldn't be such a huge act of terror, and possibly, he wouldn't even go through with it, as it wouldn't get him what he wanted.

Terror at Discovery Channel

How unstable does a person have to be when they decide the ultimate stance they to take for what they believe in is to hold hostages at a television news station and threaten to kill people?


A few days ago, a man had taken hostages at the Discovery Channel Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, because of his beliefs that humans are filth and that he wanted Discovery Channel to stop encouraging the “birth” of more human infants, claiming that humans were basically destroying the world.

This is an obvious result of the conservation support gone completely wrong and awry. And I’m curious to know how the man saw that Discovery Channel was promoting the reproduction of man—what kind of shows was this man watching? And doesn’t it say more about him being encouraged to promote human growth rather than a television station that broadcasts shows ranging from animals to plants to humans to destinations all over the world? In my opinion, this man’s beliefs and the result of his actions are a direct link, not having to do anything with Discovery Channel, but rather of hypocritical thoughts.

I think this man was more conflicted than strong on conservation beliefs. That’s basically what his “views” were. It was a deranged and radical version of the conservation protection. I’m all for the basic protection of the world and the environment—cutting back on the amount of pollution we exert, cleaning up our rivers and beaches, decrease littering, and protect endangered animals—but there’s a point that goes too far with conservationism, and that’s where the thoughts become violent.

This man who held up Discovery Channel I would categorize him into one specific category: environmental terrorist.

That’s basically what he was. He used the device of terror and the fear of death to make his statement, to try and change Discovery Channel, and to get his way. He was a terrorist. And this, to me, should open the eyes of the public that we’re not just facing terrorists overseas. In fact, there’s plenty more here within our own national territories, possibly within our own cities. And like the terrorists that we fight across the world, the authorities had to stop this man, as terror only creates terror, and costs people their lives.

Another thing that is odd to me is that this man wanted the station to pull shows and stop showing that humans need to reproduce. He basically wanted to stop humans from existing. Oddly enough, and in a strange coincidence, it sounds like this man watched a bad episode of South Park and got the idea from there. Another hint to how unstable he really was.

So, is this story worth being submitted for broadcasting? Is it important and relevant to the public? My answer? YES! Any time there is a moment of violence in the world or in the nation—Virginia Tech, 9/11, Discovery Channel—there is always someone involved who is known by other people, and there are always going to be people getting hurt/killed that are also known by others. Stories like this shine a light on the public, as well, informing us that there are deranged and mad people in our very own nation, possibly living next door to us. We’re all concerned about terrorism, it isn’t going away, but many are blind to the fact that terrorism isn’t just overseas, it’s next door.

This, if anything, should wake people up and see that every little belief that is stood for in this nation has a radical behind it, willing to bomb a television station or kill people for it. Proof of that would be this story, this situation, and this man.