TV news drawn to Hackensack's diversity
Friday, April 23, 2010
BY MARK J. BONAMO
Hackensack Chronicle
MANAGING EDITOR
HACKENSACK — In a basement classroom at Fairmount School on April 16, bright television lights temporarily took pride of place over the blackboard. Inside, a high-energy group of Hackensack youth faced the questions of a veteran CBS television network reporter. They looked right in the camera’s eye. And they didn’t blink.
"It was fun. I liked being interviewed," said Justin Malvasia, 9, a Fairmount third grader. "I’ve never been interviewed that much. It was really awesome."
A crew for the CBS news program The Early Show came to Fairmount School, as well as to Hackensack’s middle school and high school, to ask students from second to 12th grade about the access they have to today’s technology, including cell phones and Facebook pages. While the answers the students gave were varied, the fact that the students themselves were varied was even more important to network producers, who wanting to show the real face of America, chose to visit Hackensack because of its diversity.
Producer looks for snapshot of truth from Hackensack youth
A production squad, including CBS news correspondent Michelle Miller, interviewed students and parents at three Hackensack schools to ask questions about how modern technology has changed the definition of what it means to be young. Megan Kamins, a producer for The Early Show, explained the premise of the three-part series as focusing on the question "how young is too young."
"We wanted to see what it’s like to be a kid today: what’s it’s like to be their age, their grade, and what it’s like to live in such a world of easily accessible technology," said Kamins. "You always hear that kids are growing up too fast. Well, is it true?"
Groups of parents will be subsequently interviewed to see how their answers match up with their children.
Fairmount students were asked questions about whether or not they have cell phones or computers, and whether or not it’s fair if they do or don’t. Questions were also asked about access to the Internet and social networking websites such as Facebook.
Although the crew spoke to a broad range of students, Kamins, 30, noted one common thread tying together all ages.
"These guys are plugged in 24-7," she said. "I didn’t really use the Internet for anything until I went to college."
When the show is broadcast in several weeks, viewers will see something that is obvious to anyone who has spent time in Hackensack, and is now apparent to network producers.
"I’m a Jersey girl myself, so I was looking for the idea of the every man, or the every kid, that people can identify with," said Kamins, who hails from Sussex County. "Hackensack is just greatly diverse. I also think that the kids here have really good heads on their shoulders. They’re aware of the world around them. I wanted a diverse group of kids that everyone could relate to and every one watching at home could identify with."
Kids like being on TV, but also like being themselves
When asked about what it was like to be asked questions on camera, Fairmount fourth grader Leilani Zingel answered with a nod to something everyone in our tech-heavy time can appreciate: privacy.
"I wasn’t cool about answering questions about curfew, because that’s personal to me," said Leilani, 10. "But I was cool with every other question."
Then again, some kids felt no need to retreat from certain questions.
"I wasn’t shy at all," said second grader Jaden Quinerly, 8. "If I saw myself on TV, I would be really shy. But when I was talking to them, I could tell them about what I could do and couldn’t do. For example, I can’t swim in six feet of water."
When it comes to one form of technology that he could have, Jaden politely declined.
"I don’t want Facebook," Jaden said. "There are bad things on there."
For fourth grader Rabi Odumosu, being on television may lead to her own version of social networking.
"It was fun. I always wanted to be on TV. I want to meet new people," said Rabi, 9.
One of the questions posed by the production team was whether the children’s parents were too strict. Rabi’s reply revealed a truth that one suspects is common in many homes.
"My parents are strict at times. But other times, they act like I’m a princess," Rabi said.
Third grader Ishrat Miah took an almost stream-of-consciousness approach to being interviewed.
"I was trying to act like I was just talking, and it worked," said Ishrat, 9.
Ishrat got right to the point when asked about the questions that centered on what she could or couldn’t do.
"Be a doctor," she said, making it very clear that she has a plan to do it. "I want to be a cardiologist."
Christian Valentin saw his brush with the media as fun, and felt that its main benefit was one with which people who are not looking at the world with a third-grader’s perspective could readily agree.
"You get to be on TV," said Christian, 9. "People can see you on TV. And I want to be seen."
Email: bonamo@northjersey.com
