Each month, AAJA San Diego is featuring a member of the chapter and the work they do. This is the sixth profile.
Michael James Rocha, currently the Audience Development and Utility Content Editor at The San Diego Union Tribune, represents a different but essential aspect of journalism: reaching out to the readers using good design.
Michael James Rocha
Rocha has worked at the Union-Tribune since 1997, serving as features design editor and designer. Before that, he worked at other Southern California publications, serving as designer and copy editor.
Besides working at publications, Rocha serves as an adjunct professor at Point Loma Nazarene University, teaching upper-level courses in magazine production and design.
Rocha has been involved with AAJA for a long time. In college, when he received a $250 scholarship from the Los Angeles chapter in 1990. Four years later, he received a $2,500 from national AAJA.
“Being in AAJA has exposed me to different people from all over the media landscape: reporters, editors, photographers, executives, you name it. Some of my best friends I met through AAJA.”
Rocha notes an AAJA program as one of the most valuable experiences that has helped his career in journalism. He participated in AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP) in 2000.
“That program…helped shape who I am today - as a journalist, as a manager and, more importantly, as a person. It forced me to look deep into myself - my fears, my insecurities - and forge ahead with determination and without fear.”
Rocha is a dedicated and valued AAJA member, contributing to the many events, programs and boards of AAJA.
He is one of the founding members of the AAJA San Diego chapter when it was revived in the late 1990s. He co-chaired the AAJA National Convention when it was held in San Diego in 2003.
He served on the San Diego chapter and National Advisory board for many years. Rocha was also the newsletter editor when the chapter had a newsletter.
On his AAJA experiences,” All of these experiences were tremendously positive. They required a lot of time and commitment on my part, but I was more than happy to help, Rocha said. “It is a positive and rewarding experience as long as you don’t spread yourself too thin.”
Rocha answered some questions about his life as a design journalist via e-mail:
How did you get started in journalism?
During my senior year at Alhambra High School, the school informed me that because of some paperwork misunderstanding, I was not going to graduate, as planned, in the spring of 1987. Some of my high school units in the Philippines did not transfer to the United States, so they were holding me back one year. With all of the required electives already completed, I took classes that were not required - tennis, typing and journalism. It was during that extra year in high school when I joined the school newspaper - The Moor - and the yearbook staff. If the school hadn’t held me back, I don’t think I would be in journalism.
What do you enjoy most about it?
The beauty of journalism is its unpredictability. Every day, I try my best to lay out what my day is going to look. I am a “list” type of person, so I walk into work with a checklist. More often than not, that list goes to the wayside because things come up. In the type of work that I do, which sometimes can be quite deadline-intensive, how you react to that unpredictability can make or break you. You have to learn how to go with the flow.
Tell us about your roles and responsibilities at your previous and current positions. How were they like?
I joined the Union-Tribune as a features designer. Two and a half years later, I became one of two front-page designers. Then I was promoted to features design editor. In that role, I oversaw a team of 15 designers and news assistants and had design and art direction oversight of what was then the Union-Tribune 17 features sections. It was, by far, the most challenging yet rewarding position I have held thus far. It pushed me to heights - and depths - I never knew existed on so many levels. It taught me about the right way to manage people and the wrong way. I have learned many, many lessons along the way, and I look back at those days and realize that my strength and character today can be traced back to that period in my professional career.
How did you get involved in design?
When I was a junior at Cal State Fullerton, I became the managing editor of the campus daily newspaper, The Daily Titan. Part of the managing editor’s role is overseeing the design and daily production of the paper - making sure it got out every day. I had to teach myself how to use Quark XPress, and during my senior year, I was fortunate enough to land a prestigious summerlong design fellowship at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla. I spent six weeks there learning about design from some of the best designers, journalists and artists in the world. That was, for me, the turning point: I fell in love with design.
What do you like about it?
Design, at least in terms of newspaper and magazine design, sets the tone and feel of the publication. It is the face of the publication. One of the most exciting things about what I have done as a designer is to visualize how a publication should look, based on the content, and then putting that in front of readers and then having them react positively to the design. Then you know you’re not crazy after all.
What’s your least favorite part?
One thing I have learned about being in design is that you have to have a thick skin. It has taken me years to learn this, and even today, when I show my work to fellow designers, I cringe as they are getting ready to critique my work. I’ve gotten better, though.
What’s it like to work as the newly created position, Audience Development and Utility Content Editor?
The pace is definitely more manageable, at least for me. When I was features design editor, I barely had time to breathe. It was one crisis after another. In this capacity, I have had a direct involvement in the creation or reinvention of sections and publications - all designed to bring more audience to the Union-Tribune brand. I prototyped and helped create the weekly Saturday section Smart Living, which launched last fall. The reaction from readers and advertisers has been extremely positive. Last fall, I also took on editing duties for the home interiors beat. The home interiors editor retired, and I have always had an interest in the subject, so I volunteered. That has been a rewarding experience, mainly because I have been able to write again. As much as I love design, writing puts you on a different plane - and there’s definitely more interaction with the community, which I love.
What’s it like to be adjunct professor at Point Loma Nazarene University, especially the idea of teaching to the future of journalism?
I have often told people that teaching at PLNU has been one of the rewarding experiences I have ever had. When things are crazy at work, walking into that PLNU classroom calms me down. The students are not only an amazingly inquisitive and talented group of people, but because they are so young and truly on the cusp of getting their careers going, they are a breath of fresh air. It has truly been a privilege to teach at PLNU and work with those kids. They have kept me sane.
Do you have any work you’re especially proud of?
Yes. This past April, I edited my first ever publication, the spring edition of the Union-Tribune’s SDHome magazine. I not only edited the section, but I also wrote stories for it and designed it. Looking back, I am amazed that I actually did it, considering I was doing a million other things, too.
What experiences in the journalism field have been most valuable to you and why?
There are two instances in my professional career that have affected me immensely. The first is my participation in AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP). That program, in 2000, helped shape who I am today - as a journalist, as a manager and, more importantly, as a person. It forced me to look deep into myself - my fears, my insecurities - and forge ahead with determination and without fear. Don’t get me wrong, I still get nervous and afraid about many things, but that’s just part of being human. But the training and insight I got from ELP taught me how to muster the courage to move forward.
The second is learning from one of my bosses not to take things too seriously. Lisa Clausen, who was my boss, had a quiet demeanor and a stellar work ethic, but when it came to design, she knew how to have fun. She always pushed me to push myself - not to take things too seriously. Lisa was a strong personality but had a gentle touch. She passed away last year, but I will always be thankful for the lessons she taught me.
A lot of professional journalists have been worried about their future in journalism. As a journalist yourself, does the state of the industry worry you?
It’s worrisome, yes, but I think what we’re seeing is not the death of journalism. This is journalism evolving. The industry should have evolved 10 years ago, but journalists are die-hard preservationists when it comes to change. Now we are being forced to change not because we want to but because we have to. Journalism will survive. It might look different, it might sound different, but it will survive. One of the pillars this country was built on is freedom of the press. We’re going through some growing pains right now, but I think, it’s necessary.
Read past profiles at our Member of the Month page. If you would like to suggest a person to profile, contact web@aajasandiego.org.
