Featuring: Bob Inman

         Robert Inman has been a journalist of all degrees, from working in the newspaper business to being a television reporter to writing novels and plays. He became well-known in the North Carolina area when he was an evening news anchor for WBTV in Charlotte, N.C. WBTV is a main source for news and one of the strongest affiliates with CBS for the area around Charlotte. He worked there for 26 years. He retired from WBTV in 1996 and became a full-time novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. He is a member of the Authors Guild, Writers Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, PEN American Center, North Carolina Writers Conference, North Carolina Writers Network, and Alabama Writers Forum. Today, Inman lives with his wife in Charlotte, N.C. and Boone, N.C.

Following is a short interview with Mr. Inman:

Q: Who was your favorite journalist/reporter when you were growing up?

Inman: Chet Huntley and David Brinkley of NBC News.

Q: What else were you interested in doing while growing up?

Inman: Pretty much from the beginning, I knew I wanted to be in journalism.  I had an opportunity early to work in the field (see below) and that reinforced my belief that working with words would be rewarding.

Q: What/Where was your first job in journalism?

Inman: I started working at the weekly newspaper in my hometown in Alabama when I was in the seventh grade.  I worked in the print shop at first, but the editor began to let me try my hand at reporting and writing.  I was hooked.

Q: What brought you to WBTV in North Carolina?

Inman: My first job after college was with a television station in Montgomery, Alabama.  After a brief stint in political public relations, I decided to return to television.  WBTV had a reputation as one of the best local television news operations in the nation.  I applied there and was hired in 1970 to anchor the 11:00pm newscast.  I worked at WBTV until 1996.

Q: Describe the most memorable event you experienced while at WBTV.

Inman: Reporting on evangelist Billy Graham's visit to Berlin in the early 1990's.  The Berlin Wall had just fallen, and Dr. Graham was invited to preach there.  It was an historic moment -- witnessing the beginning of reunification of East and West Germany and Dr. Graham's impact on the situation.

Q: Do you enjoy writing books and plays or reporting on television more?

Inman: I now spend full time as a writer and enjoy that immensely.  After I published my first novel in 1987, I made it my goal to become successful enough that I could leave TV and devote all of my time and energy to writing. 

Q: How did you see the journalism world change during your career? What was the biggest change?

Inman: The major change I witnessed during my years in journalism was the pround increase in the speed of things.  Communication became virtually instant.  We could report from the scene of a story literally as it unfolded.  That brought challenges as well as opportunities -- the need to get things right, to be as fair and accurate and thorough as possible under the great pressure of immediacy.  I think we only partially succeeded. 

Q: If you could define your experience in journalism in one word or phrase, what would it be?

Inman: "It's all about the audience."  I always felt that I worked for those people who watched me every evening, not for the folks who signed my paycheck.  I owed the audience my best.

Q: What advice would you give to someone wanting to be in journalism today?

Inman: First, write.  Writing is both art and craft, and the ability to communicate concisely is the foundation of everything a journalist does.  We learn to write by doing it.  And then, be well-rounded intellectually.  College presents a wonderful opportunity to study in diverse fields -- history, language, psychology, sociology, science, economics -- all of the subject areas a journalist will be reporting on.  It's a big, complex, fast-moving world out there.  Our job as journalists is to help people make sense of it.

Day in the Life slideshow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czcGU5vZBQ4&feature=youtu.be

No Future Set for War Memorial

            World War Memorial Stadium on Yanceyville Street in the eastern part of Greensboro, N.C. still has no set future. The War Memorial Task Force, a special committee introduced by former mayor Keith Holiday in 2004, still has not come up with a plan for the 86-year-old stadium. However, there are small changes happening around the historic venue that some people wondering if this could signal more moves in the near future.
            The stadium is a registered historic place and it has seen much more than baseball games. It has held football games and has been seen in multiple movies, including “Bull Durham,” and “Leatherheads.”
            In January, the playing field was laser-graded. Laser grading is a type of maintenance that uses laser technology to flatten the ground. This was needed because of the lack of proper field care since the Greensboro Bats, a Minor League Baseball team, left after the 2005 season. Humps and hills could be seen on the playing field that is supposed to be completely flat. Also, the netting behind home plate was replaced. The old netting had gaping holes that foul balls could easily pass through and enter the seats.
            So far in February, the foul poles have been re-painted and straightened. The right field foul pole clearly leaned to the right and away from the field. Both of the foul poles were rusty and had paint chips from top to bottom.

            Also during this month, the batters’ eye was replaced. The batters’ eye is the large dark-colored screen that stands behind the center field fence. This aids the batter in seeing the baseball when trying to hit. The old batters’ eye was completely torn apart, being more of a distraction than a help. “We really need major renovations. The ones that we’ve gotten so far are nice, but in order to be compared to other D1 schools’ baseball fields, we’ve got a long way to go. We really can’t even call this our stadium because the school doesn’t own it,” said Austin Love, NC A&T assistant baseball coach.
            Each of these changes only affected the actually playing field. The part of War Memorial that is really in question is the crumbling infrastructure.  A renovation is necessary sooner. If it does not happen, then there will be no other choice than to demolish much of the stadium.
            According to the Greensboro News-Record, the War Memorial Stadium Task Force has had more than 300 meetings since being assigned to this project, yet the economic strains and lack of a widely accepted plan have gone nowhere. There is $1.3 million set aside for renovating the stadium, and the City of Greensboro has been in communication with North Carolina A&T State University about leasing or buying the stadium. Earl Hilton, athletic director at NC A&T, has been contacted about the purchase of the stadium, but nothing has been done yet.
            War Memorial is home to NC A&T’s home baseball games and the Aggie baseball team also uses the field for practice. This makes logical sense for NC A&T to either purchase the field or become more financially invested in it. Greensboro College, tournaments, and youth and adult leagues also play games at War Memorial.
            A city council meeting was held on April 2 to vote on the current proposition. This plan is a demolition of the entire stadium except for the entrance which is also a memorial to the Greensboro natives who fought in World War I. Metal bleachers that would sit approximately 500 people would be put up. City council members decided to put a 90 day extension in order to receive more information on a possible restoration, rather than a demolition according to NC A&T head baseball coach Joel Sanchez who was in attendance at the council meeting.
            Other than considering NC A&T, the City of Greensboro can pursue federal stimulus money, receive private and public donations toward the project, and partner with other foundations. Each of these sources of money are needed if a full renovation is to be done and not just a demolition.

            Mayor Robbie Perkins and District 2 Councilman Jim Key were contacted, however, neither accepted an interview. 

Charles McArthur-Johnson: Profile Article

Charles McArthur-Johnson moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina almost two years ago. He is very creative and active, and he is determined to be successful because of his mother and little brother.

As a sophomore, majoring in public relations at North Carolina A&T State University, McArthur-Johnson has brought his life and everything he stands for almost 400 miles south to the state of North Carolina. He hails from Harrisburg, Pa., and that is where he grew up. After high school, McArthur-Johnson, an African-American male who aspired to further his education, enrolled at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pa. not too far from his home. He would not stay there long, however, because his mother moved from Pennsylvania to Fayetteville, N.C. This move also brought Charles to North Carolina and to NC A&T.

It was not a smooth transition, though. After moving to North Carolina, he applied and was accepted to NC A&T, but the university would not let him qualify for in-state tuition. A student is required to live in the state of the university for at least one calendar year before he/she can qualify for in-state tuition. The extra cost that came with out-of-state tuition was expensive, so McArthur-Johnson was forced to sit out from school for a year and find employment.

He did so at a Fayetteville Wal-Mart where he worked third shift. When asked about working third shift, Charles replied, “It was the longest year of my life. I never want to go through that again.” With that comment it is clear that he is ecstatic to be back in the realm of academia.

As a full-time Aggie, he has more than one focus. He is now studying public relations, he was previously a business marketing major, so he can further explore his creative side.

McArthur-Johnson is an artist and he can draw. He can draw very well, in fact. You can see a small sample of his artwork on his chest and left bicep as he sketched both of his tattoos. “Drawing is also the talent that I expect to be useful for creating advertisements, posters and even commercials,” he said.

To help out with the advertisements, posters and commercials, McArthur-Johnson is debating on minoring in graphic design. He thinks this would help greatly due to nearly everything being digital in the new, technological society.

McArthur-Johnson was obligated to move to North Carolina because of his mother, but that is not the only thing he feels he owes to the woman that gave him life. It is his hope to succeed in everything he does to make her proud and to set a great standard for his younger brother. “I really want to be a good example for my little brother and make my mom proud. She has always pushed me to reach my full potential, and I don’t want to let her down,” he said.

Growing up, McArthur-Johnson felt the pains of living paycheck-to-paycheck. He wants to live comfortably and not have those same life struggles that he endured while growing up. For that, he lives his life by a motto emblazoned in his mind by his high school track coach.

“Hard work brings about good results,” he said.