25-year-old Ford Sanders is a well known and loved journalist and influencer based in Austin, Texas. He is widely known for his social media reporting of the bodies found in lady bird lake, not to mention his absolutely hilarious personality. Sanders is wildly successful for his age (having worked for ESPN, KVUE and other ABC affiliates doing broadcast). Many young journalism students may find themselves asking how he got to where he is after only 4-5 years in the industry. I did the digging for us all, and he shared with me four helpful tips/quotes for us young j-students to remember.
- “regret nothing.”
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I asked the controversial question regarding anything he may have done differently if he could go back (he and I both agreed that the word regret is a scam). His one statement for everyone was to regret nothing. He expressed how every single mistake he made strengthened his work in the long run, emphasizing that we are “on the right track. I started at a smaller market, and I am so blessed because I made a lot of mistakes there.” With all that said, he claimed this was the best decision he could have made for his career and overall happiness. Everything happens for a reason.
- “Advocate for yourself”
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As a broadcast-specializing journalist, he hopped around to many different stations in his first few years out of undergrad to obtain on-air time. “I am what people in the industry call a station hopper.” He put a lot of emphasis on knowing your worth as a professional. You may be young, but advocating for better pay or even a career shift is crucial. “No harm in giving a little pushback,” he expressed. Being in this industry makes you a very talented negotiator.
- “DO NOT BE AFRAID TO POST”
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About three years ago, Sanders’ career took a turn for the best. He first went viral on TikTok for posting about a group of car thieves in Kentucky called the “Kia Boys.” It was Sanders’ first step into the digital journalism world, and he quickly realized he could create something valuable from it. “TV is not dead, but cable is dying,” said Sanders. “How valuable could it be to have a young internet bestie who is also a classically trained journalist and news reporter to give you the facts?”
There is too much misinformation and spread of conspiracies on social media, and the demand for more personable yet trained digital journalists is constantly rising.
- “people care about a recap”
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There will always be newsworthy stories in need of reporting, both heavy and light-hearted topics. As a college student studying to be a classically trained journalist, he helped me realize it is never too early to start posting and building a digital following. “People need news; just how we consume it is always changing,” said Sanders. He emphasized that it is the job of our generation to deliver factually correct news to the public. If you think you may be repeating information you’ve already shared, remember that social media is a large abyss, and the more you put out, the more audience you will gain—it’s all about consistency.
Though this may seem like a specific list directed only at journalism students, I believe there was a lot to take away for people of any major. My time speaking with Ford was a blast. He was one of the nicest, most genuine people (let alone influencers) I have had the pleasure of interviewing. There is a lot I took away from our conversation, but one thing he said I will never forget: “People will judge all day, but it is going to be worth it.” Some very strong words to live by, no matter the career path.