STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Two reporters have joined the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s newsroom, bringing passion and a fresh eye to the paper’s local coverage.
Alison Berg, 23, will cover the city of Steamboat Springs and cops and courts as Dylan Anderson, 26, will focus on county coverage, education and breaking news.
“We are very excited to welcome Dylan and Alison to the Steamboat Pilot & Today newsroom,” said Pilot & Today editor Lisa Schlichtman. “They will bring fresh perspective and energy to our team, and we expect them to make an immediate impact on how we’re able to cover Routt County news.”
Berg is originally from the San Francisco area then relocated to attend college at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science.
One of Berg’s roommates was to thank for her entry into the world of journalism as she suggested Berg join her on the team at their college newspaper, the Utah Statesman.
“Going into college, I thought I wanted to go into psychology,” Berg said. “I realized I didn’t like that very much. But I had always liked to write and I like people.”
She applied for a position with the college publication and ultimately rose up the ranks in the newsroom.
Berg has completed internships at the Salt Lake Tribune in Salt Lake City, Utah, the East Bay Times in Oakland, California, and joined the team at Utah Public Radio. While interning for public radio, she discovered an appreciation for Native American issues.
Along with her team, Berg covered a nearby small town that had put on a racist reenactment of an infamous massacre notable to that area. Through that coverage she formed bonds with local tribal leaders and took a deep dive into Native culture. Berg went on to write, speak and even produce segments for the station.
“I definitely prefer newspapers because it’s a different kind of storytelling, and a different type of work that you can do,” she said. “I also like the fast pace of newspapers. That’s where I feel more comfortable.”
Her enjoyment of the political landscape led her to accept a paid internship after earning her college degree. She covered student issues related to COVID-19 for the Chronicle of Higher Education in Washington, D.C., a newspaper and website targeted to university faculty and student affairs professionals.
Berg quickly applied when saw the opening at the Pilot & Today, noting her love of Colorado and her longing to learn how to ski.
“Lisa (Schlichtman) really stuck out to me as somebody very friendly and passionate about the work,” Berg said. “The day I got the call that I did get it was one of the happiest moments of my life.”
Berg said her goal is to produce content that makes a difference in people’s lives. Her passion is also for work that holds people accountable.
“I really want to do stories that make a difference in peoples’ lives and really benefit them and to become a resource for the community,” she said.
Berg plans to get on a pair of skis early this coming winter season, with plans to learn the ins and outs of the mountain. She enjoys being outdoors, hiking, reading and spending time with friends, in addition to a good Netflix binge.
Anderson’s start in journalism came a bit later. He had attended University of Colorado to study aerospace engineering, but after two years realized that it wasn’t quite for him. Instead, he set his ambition on the journalism industry, having a fondness for writing about baseball.
Feeling uninformed after the 2016 election, Anderson decided reporting the news was a better route for him than sports.
He stuck close to his home in suburban Minneapolis to obtain a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from University of Minnesota. There he worked for the college’s student-run newspaper, the Minnesota Daily. He went on to accept internships at the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune, where he worked on the metro desk, and at American Public Media out of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Anderson’s appreciation for quality investigative reporting was better developed while working for APM Reports, the investigative arm of American Public Media, noted for the true crime podcast, “In the Dark.”
While he didn’t get to work on that specific podcast or see his work published, he said he learned valuable insight from observing the team and helping conduct in-depth investigations.
“I wanted this job because Lisa (Schlichtman) made it seem like this a place where not only I could do journalism but also grow in my ability to do journalism, and that growth would be valued,” Anderson said. “I want to do stories that not only people read and feel are important but that lead to some kind of action on a public level.”
Like Berg, Anderson wants to have a local impact with his coverage.
When writing for his college newspaper, Anderson covered a sexual harassment investigation involving a faculty member that led to a professor’s ouster.
“That was very fulfilling; it was a difficult issue,” he said. “It wouldn’t have happened without the sources, the victims, coming forward and being willing to speak about it.”
Anderson sees the responsibility of journalists as being a vehicle for educating the public.
“I like to see people do something with that knowledge,” he explained.
Like many journalists, Anderson sees veteran newsman and Watergate reporter Bob Woodward as an idol, along with Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Sarah Kliff of the New York Times, who had used an extensive collection of data to prove inconsistencies in hospital charging.
“In order for people to make informed decisions, they have to have good information,” Anderson said. “Journalism is one of the ways our society provides this information for people.”
In his free time, Anderson enjoys woodworking, specifically crafting his own furniture. He eyes one day throwing the perfect cast over the Yampa after learning the tricks of fly-fishing.
To reach Bryce Martin, call 970-871-4206 or email bmartin@SteamboatPilot.com.
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