Press Gallery

Today we went to the nation's capitol for an inside look at journalism from above the chambers of Congress. Only we had special privileges. As journalism students, we were escorted through the press gallery by Superintendent Jerry L. Gallegos. We had the opportunity to sit in the seats above each chamber where writers assigned to Congressional proceedings have recorded the nation's history through newspaper stories. It was interesting to hear of the history of journalism on Capitol Hill and the of minority journalists rising through oppression to become honored in the galleries themselves.
I have been to the Capitol before, most recently in April with a school history trip. So, most of what surprised me came from our look into the life of a journalist. I found it quite empty in the press gallery. I anticipated many more reporters attempting to find their stories. However, after consideration, I realized that Congress holds the same type of proceedings every time they meet. So, it is not surprising that most of what happens in the chamber does not get covered in the media.
I also found the history behind minorities in the press very intriguing. The fact that blacks and women were unintentionally barred from the right to cover Congress was fascinating.
I'm not sure how I feel about actually working as a writer covering Congress. I think that learning how the system works and having access to the congressmen would be interesting. But, I'm not sure how long I could stand hearing them talk about all 480 proposed museums and exhibits. I suppose I expected more active reporting. I don't think I really absorbed the process of reporting on Congress' actions.