Introduction: ESPN Senior Director of Digital Video Ron Forchheimer came to the University of Oregon to speak to students interested in a career in sports production and journalism. Forchheimer worked as a reporter for CNN before making the transition to ESPN.
“You have to look people in the eye and ask the tough questions,” was the advice Ron Forchheimer, Senior Director of Digital Video at ESPN, gave to the audience that gathered to hear him speak the Jacqua Academic Center on March 2.
Students filed into the 114-person lecture hall equipped with Lamborghini leather seats and a quaint “No Beavers allowed sign”, poking fun at the University of Oregon’s in-state rival, the Oregon State Beavers.
Of the 50 students in the audience a majority was upperclassmen, juniors and seniors, and most were involved in the journalism and sports marketing programs on campus.
“I’m here because Ed asked me to come,” Forchheimer said jokingly, referring to the School of Journalism’s Ed Madison, a long-time friend and his former RA at Emerson College.
Forcheimer opened the discussion with asking the audience what traits they felt were important in a work environment.
“A sense of humor,” said a member from the audience who was involved with DuckTv.
Qualities like dependability, and punctuality were also mentioned.
Being observant was one of Forchheimer’s key qualities, “Ask questions. Think ‘One day I’m going to be hiring people, what do I want to see?’” he said.
Forcheimer then recapped his career in multimedia, starting with small jobs in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York.
By the early ‘80s, Forchheimer was working in the field editing film for a CNN reporter. He said by jumping right into field work, he didn’t have time to learn how to be scared.
In 1983, a CNN field producer job opened in Los Angeles.
“There were only two people working west of the Mississippi for CNN,” he said, “but I took it.”
In his 12 years working in Los Angeles, Forchheimer covered the Olympics, World Cup, Lakers, Raiders, and even the 1989 Bay Bridge World Series, where a 6.9 magnitude hit San Francisco right before the start of Game 3 of the series.
Forchheimer talked about the pros and cons of being a reporter, especially when looking back on events like the 1989 World Series.
“You call and make sure your family is okay and then you go to the bureau,” he said.
After covering earthquakes, riots, and even the California Democratic Primary, Forchheimer made the transition from LA to Atlanta to work in the CNN newsroom. His move came right before the Internet boom of the late 1990’s.
Forchheimer described working in the sports department as the “toyshop of the newsroom.” He said he never considered leaving, but when an opportunity arose to work with a start up company called SeasonTicket.com in Seattle, he took it.
“It was personalized sports highlights, like a modern day Bleacher Report,” said Forchheimer.
After four months of trying to keep the company afloat, Forchheimer eventually left the start-up. He chuckled as he recalled a conversation with his wife shortly after leaving the company.
“I called her and asked if she had sold our house back in Atlanta yet,” he said, “She said ‘No,’ and I said ‘Good. Don’t.’”
Forchheimer went on to work for ESPN as a coordinating producer for their news show that ran from 5 PM to 6 AM.
When asked about working long nights, Forchheimer said, “You have to do the dog shifts. Holidays, weekends, it doesn’t matter. You’re never around. You know that’s the way it is. I didn’t have weekends off for 30 years.”
After sharing with the audience his journalistic career, Forchheimer opened up the discussion to questions from the audience.
Zachary Bigley, an announcer for the campus radio station KWVA, asked where Forchheimer thought journalism was going.
“There will always be room for journalists,” he said, “I just don’t know where the technological part of the industry is going.”
The discussion closed with advice from the ESPN Senior Director.
“If you can’t put a cover letter together, then what the hell are you doing? Can you write? Do you have something to say?” he said.
Lastly, Forchheimer looked at the audience and said, “There are people who can get shit done. There are people who can’t. You can learn a lot from people who aren’t doing a good job. Be the person who can get shit done.”