Miranda Mulligan: Part Journalist, Part Space-Cowgirl

September 12, 2009

The new frontier of journalism is boundless but to bound into the new world of journalism may feel more like navigating a trip into outer-space: a cold, oxygen-deprived job environment filled with debris that can pierce ego armored confidence.  For Miranda Mulligan, now a web designer for the Virginia Pilot, there has never been a moment of hesitation, only persistent enthusiasm.

“It really is cowboy country,” said Miranda, her excitement just under her stern, authoritative manner, referring to make-and-break rule environment of journalism today.

Her smart, sophisticated glasses nearly obscuring the snap in her eyes when she talked about the uncharted territory with a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate class full of journalism students.

Complacency Disrupted in the Newsroom

Miranda fresh out of college went to work in a journalism environment that wasn’t full of desire and did not feel the pressing need for innovation; the stale business model, the print technology, and complacent consumer habits had not yet extensively changed and positioned print journalism on the verge of extinction.  The waning atmosphere for print journalism was still viewed as something that would become less hostile one day.  But Miranda didn’t see things that way and said it directly and loudly.

“When I came to work, I started barking at everyone,” said Miranda, sharing her experiences with the Virginia Commonwealth University graduate students of 2010.  “I was in my 20s, and I was barking at people twice my age.”

Self-teaching and Returning to Academics

Miranda’s type of tenaciousness served her well as she started to self-teach herself how to use soft-ware that would become the mainstay of her newsroom at Online Pilot.  She did not wait and allow leaderships complacency to put limits on her profession and attended workshops and seminars.

Attending a workshop in Florida, she met academics and expressed her interest in furthering her skill set.  There she met Jennifer George-Palilonis, Associate Professor at Ball State University, a professor she would work closely with as she earned her master degree.  She remembers Miranda’s ability to take hold of whatever she took on.

“She was always a leader,” said George-Palinonis.  “Whatever she was doing she was always the leader.  She excelled in Flash, something other creative types usually struggle with.”

The Right Brain for a Right-to-Left Position

When it comes to graphic design, said George-Palinonis, Miranda had the ability to incorporate her journalistic skills, her imagination, and her technical skills.

“Flash is difficult because it was originally made for programmers, so you have to understand code.  Miranda was able to master it.  She has the rare attribute of being right brain and left brain.”

Video:  Why Taking on Technology is Important

Launching Print Stories Online

Referring to her multi-media features as her suitcase, Mulligan showcases her talents with such features as Waging Peace in the Horn of Africa and How Offshore Energy Exploration Would Work.

Jane Elizabeth, Director of Online News at The Virginian-Pilot and Miranda’s supervisor, said her ability to take the print story and reimagining it for online is not a common skill.

“She really is one-of-a-kind in the newsroom, which sometimes can be a lonely place for sometimes,” said Elizabeth.

But the projects Miranda produces provide interactive information for the community.  Elizabeth sited the two page story on off-shore oil drilling as a prime example.

“The oil drilling off-shore has been very controversial in our area.  We did a two page graphic for print, but it doesn’t help us online,” said Elizabeth.  “She took the same information and used her imagination to make a presentation.  I always say she makes it do tricks.  She takes a flat graphic and makes it do tricks.”

Real World Discouragement and Persistent Childhood Agendas

Journalism was Miranda’s passion for all times, good and bad.  As a 5^th grader, a teacher told Miranda she would never get A’s.  Excelling academically was the requirement to work on the school paper.  Little Miranda made up her mind then and there that she would make earn A’s and make the paper.   When people at her first job paid little to no attention to her irate talk, she attended seminars and self-taught herself.  When she found a university willing to customize a master’s program, she excelled and demonstrated leadership.  Then as a journalist for the The Virginian Pilot, she was selected to bring the print stories to online interactive features.

If Miranda’s life and career proves anything, it proves Mirandas will find a way to thrive in hostile environments and will not wait to be shown the way.

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