NBC News' Morgan Chesky reported on the disaster in his hometown of Kerr County, Texas, where devastating floods have claimed numerous lives and rescue and recovery efforts are currently ongoing.
Morgan took time from his busy schedule to speak with BFOA’s summer intern, Reilly Fournier, about covering this harrowing story.
RF: Thank you for speaking with me today, Morgan, we know you are busy reporting on relief efforts and the many stories of those affected in the community. As the Broadcasters Foundation mission includes providing emergency grants to those in our industry who are suffering from natural disasters, we wanted to ask you about your role in the news coverage and how things are going.
RF: The Texas flooding is a national story but one that you have a deep connection to personally. How does it change your reporting to have such a connection to this tragedy?
MC: When I first heard the news, I knew instantly that I needed to be here to cover it. I thought that having covered disasters before would prepare me to cover this story, but seeing the level of devastation on the first day was unlike anything I’d covered before. I saw the death toll rising, and some of the names were friends or names I recognized. It hit me at a core level I couldn’t have anticipated. This time, there was no level of separation between myself and the story – it was just me and the place I grew up.
RF: When covering a story, what are the goals you have – what do you want to impart to your audience and what impact do you hope it has?
MC: When covering a story, you always want to start with people. There are times when circumstances or narratives cloud that, but the heart of a story always rings true when you start with the people. This was my key focus for this disaster: how many people can I connect with to gather the community’s collective feeling?
RF: It must be extraordinarily draining covering these stories. How do you motivate yourself and the people around you?
MC: Motivation can be tough at times, but any time I feel tired or frustrated, I think about those who are losing loved ones or homes. Motivation hasn’t been a problem for me during this disaster because those experiencing the effects firsthand are going through far more than I am.
RF: Knowing what you know at this point in your career, what advice would you give to your younger self that you wish someone had told you?
MC: My best advice is not to try to be perfect – just focus on getting 1% better every day, every story. Consistency adds up. You don’t want to aim for a home run every time at the plate, you just want to get on base – reps will pay dividends because at the end of the day, there are no shortcuts to experience.
RF: How is the community coping? How can people around the country help?
MC: I think the initial shock is wearing off, and people are starting to visualize what recovery looks like. We aren’t looking at weeks or months, we’re looking at years. For those that want to help, there are several relief groups and charities on the NBC website www.today.com/texas.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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