Taryn Winter Brill’s Incredible Journalism Journey

According to the Women's Media Center’s 2017 report The Status of Women in the U.S. Media, men still dominate media across all platforms: television, newspapers, online, and wires, with change only coming incrementally. In fact, at 20 of the nation's most widely read and heard news outlets, women still report far less of the news than men do.

 

Today we’re joined from the road by one of my favorite women in media, Taryn Winter Brill. Taryn is currently a host at C-Suite TV interviewing authors of the world's leading business books. You can also catch her interviewing Hollywood's A-list as a host on NBC's First Look, a lifestyle show airing after Saturday Night Live. Taryn has also worked as the in-house correspondent for Everyday Health, working alongside Dr. Sanjay Gupta and as a correspondent for the CBS Early Show.

 

In this episode, Taryn popped into our studio by phone to discuss storytelling, the state of women in the media, and the importance of doing what you love.

 

In This Episode

• The truth behind the phrase, “It’s who you know”
• Tips for presenting yourself on camera
• Differences between traditional broadcasting and digital TV
• The representation of women in media
• How to stay calm and embrace obstacles you face at work

 

Quotes in This Episode

“At my heart, I'm a storyteller. I like hearing people's stories, and I'm just curious by nature. I like asking questions, and translating and being the conduit of good messages, really.” —Taryn Winter Brill

 

“I just like to learn, and I like to soak up as much as I can, and as many different disciplines and capacities, which is why I've been so fortunate and lucky and blessed to wear so many different hats.” —Taryn Winter Brill

 

“[Guests] ask me about the camera, and I say, ‘What camera? What are you talking about, what camera? Pretend the camera's not there.’ I always like to say we are just hanging out, we're having lunch… When you put it into those terms, and you frame it that way—think about it—we've all been to lunch with friend where we want to tell them some exciting news. And that's how I try to psych up my guests. You're just telling me some exciting news in your life, and it's not an interview.” —Taryn Winter Brill

 

“My mantra is just stay calm, and I think staying calm when an obstacle is in front of you, and you tackle it the best you can.... I mean in life, you can't expect everything to be perfect. If everything was perfect, I think life would be boring, to be perfectly honest.” —Taryn Winter Brill

 

“I am a perfectionist. I like it to be perfect in the way that I like it and up to my standards. But I know if I make a mistake—and believe me, we all do—and if things don't go the way I want, it happens. I say what can I learn from it, and I remind myself nobody got hurt.” —Taryn Winter Brill

 

Resources

Taryn Winter Brill on C-Suite TV

Connect with Taryn on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram