Beyond the NEWS
TV journalist talks about covering the coronavirus crisis and the evolving challenges of the industry
For more than two decades, KNTV’S (NBC Bay Area) Jessica Aguirre has been delivering vital information to Bay Area television viewers — and she has no plans to stop. Journalism is so ingrained in her DNA that she just can’t foresee a time when she’s not working as a “super energized” anchor or reporter.
“I always joke that I’m going to run the in-house news department of whatever senior center I wind up in,” she says with a smile. “I’ll be telling people that there was a robbery at the shuffleboard, or something.”
Aguirre recently reflected on her career, the coronavirus crisis, “fake news” and much more during a lunchtime chat in her hometown of Pleasanton.
Q
Your profession is a demanding one. What goes through your mind when you consider your longevity?
A
I feel very fortunate. I’ve worked with some amazing people, but a lot of them are no longer in the business — some by choice. But for some, it wasn’t their choice. The dynamics of the business changed or, in many cases, they weren’t willing to make the sacrifices that come with the job. So I feel fortunate that I’ve been able to continue doing the only thing I really know how to do.
Q
When did you know you wanted to do this?
A
I come from a very traditional Hispanic family. When I was attending the University of Miami and living with my parents, the idea that I would go traipsing around the country or the world seemed very foreign. That just wasn’t the traditional Hispanic path for a woman . ... It was my mom who, one day while we were watching the news, said in her heavily accented Spanish: “You should do that. You should be a reporter on TV like that lady. You’re very nosy. You ask a lot of questions and you talk a lot.” I thought, “Wow, she’s right!”
Q
Anchoring special coronavirus-themed programming for your station, what have been the biggest challenges?
A
It’s such a fluid story that changes constantly. Every day, every hour, the questions we have are different . ... And there are so many layers to the story . ... We’re all striving to give people reassurance and the factual information they need. These are those seminal moments when we really work in the public’s interest. It might sound corny, but in some ways I feel like we’re first responders. While people hide in their houses, for us it’s “OK, let’s go!” And we go until we can’t go anymore.
Q
The Bay Area audience, we’ve been told, tends to be different. Viewers here aren’t always glued to TV because the weather is great and there are so many things to do. Is that true?
A
I think that’s true to an extent. The Bay Area is not as locked into TV as other markets. But the viewers you do have tend to be very loyal. I’ll walk down the street and people will chat with me and say, “I remember you when you were pregnant.” … They recall all these things about you. What also makes the Bay Area a great market is that people are really smart. They, for better or worse, call you on stuff all the time. If they like something you did and want more information, they’ll reach out to you. And if they think you missed the mark, they’ll let you know it. So you’re constantly on your toes.
Q
You’ve witnessed tremendous change: 24-hour cable news, social media and more. What has had the most impact?
A
Cable news changed the game for all of us. The reality is now when you turn on cable news, depending on what channel you watch, it leans in a certain direction. That has left the networks and local stations to be very important middle guards. We’re trying hard every day just to give you the information in an unbiased way and let you make your decision. We’re not pushing one agenda or the other. I know some people don’t think that’s true, but I feel (we) weed out all the chatter.
Q
In this era, what do you see as your biggest challenge?
A
One is competing with social media and being able to deliver unbiased information instead of, you know, the wackadoodle stuff that comes out. … Immediacy is as important as ever, but so is the need to verify information. Stuff comes out on social media all the time and we have to run through various hoops to verify that information.
Q
What do you consider the most important ongoing story in the Bay Area?
A
Housing. How do you get it? How do you afford it? How do you stay in it? ... The housing thing cuts across every single person. If you’re older and about to retire, you have to figure out, “OK, now what am I gonna do?” If you’re kind of middle-aged and trying to put your kids through college while paying a mortgage, that’s challenging. If you’re just getting out of college you have to figure out if you can afford to stay here . ... And then, of course, you have the problem of homelessness and people living on the fringe.
Q
What impact, if any, does President Trump’s so-called war versus the media have on the industry?
A
Sometimes people will actually come up and say, “Oh, fake news! Fake news!” It is now part of our lexicon. I think it has a detrimental effect on the business as a whole. It especially has an unnerving effect on journalists who are out there every day knowing they’re doing the best that they can, and knowing they’re not biased. And yet they’re being saddled with this moniker.
Q
What’s the biggest misconception people have about TV news anchors?
A
That’s it’s glamorous — that we’re in hair-and-makeup all day. It’s definitely not. … You walk through that door, get that makeup on in a rush and get to work. Heck, we’re often writing copy while doing our hair! … I believe some people think of us as reality TV stars, or something. Yes, we’re in front of cameras and all made up. But we’re also cranking out copy in the newsroom, writing our own stories and really in the trenches of what’s happening — albeit with rollers on.
Q
A lot has been written about how male anchors are allowed to age on camera, while women battle against ageism. Do you think that has changed?
A
There’s no question that it is still a visual medium and there is a lot of pressure to be telegenic, as they call it. But that trend where everyone on TV had to be super, super young has passed. Audiences want people on TV who are reflective of who they are, and/ or who have had life experience. I hope people see the value in a woman who has experience and who is dedicated to her job and who cares about her community.