FlaglerLive Welcomes Its New Reporter, Videographer and Anchor: Charlotte Marten

Print is dying. Exciting, relevant and experimental journalism isn’t. FlaglerLive is proud to introduce Charlotte Marten to our readers and viewers, a reporter and videographer now based in the Hammock who’ll add new and unexpected dimensions to the site. As FlaglerLive’s video anchor, Marten will produce weekly recaps, original reporting, and like so much with new media, a few things we can’t or wouldn’t want to predict. Watch her own video-biography, shot a few weeks ago in her native Sweden, and read her introduction below. Charlotte can be reached at [email protected]

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Charlotte’s Bio[media id=110 width=500 height=400]

A good reporter is often like a good mediator, most effective when she allows the viewer to focus on the story rather than distracting the viewer by claiming the spotlight. So writing about oneself is an odd, if not uncomfortable task. But in an attempt to shed some light on who I am I offer the following:

Born and raised in Sweden, I never thought I would end up working in a newsroom in America. But I always knew that I wanted to become a journalist.

No, wait. Scratch that.

Actually, my dream job was to become the Swedish Prime Minister.

But life took another direction and the next best thing is to share other people’s stories.

In 5th grade, I wrote my first “book,” and it actually got recognized by my teachers in school. In high school, I did a three-year internship at a local Swedish TV station and wrote commentaries for our town’s daily newspaper. And in college, I armed myself with a BA degree in broadcast journalism at the University of Hawaii. I was often seen lugging around a video camera and tripod, gathering stories and spending late nights in the editing lab.

After four years of coursework and newsroom internships, I uncovered health hazards at the University of Hawaii and earned my first professional news award – “Best Spot News” as a result of the exclusive investigative report. It was hard work, but also the kind of valuable experience I needed to become a better journalist.

I began my career after graduation as a reporter, videographer and anchor at the Coastal Courier, a Morris Multimedia affiliate in Savannah, GA. I helped the news team establish three separate online broadcast news programs. I am what you would call a one-person band reporter. I shoot, report, write, design and edit my own stories and newscasts.

I feel lucky to have been able to cover a number of important stories through the years, including interviewing Nelson Mandela during my stay in Kenya in 2005, the Hawaii gubernatorial election of 2006, the Fort Hood shooting, and most recently the arrival of President Barack Obama in Savannah, Ga., earlier this year. What I enjoy most about my job as a journalist is meeting people from all backgrounds.

My path has been an interesting one, and while I’m still learning, I’m able to run my nonprofit organization Martens Africa on the side. My true passion is helping people who are less fortunate. I am passionate about my craft and driven to excel.  Everyday, I hope to become better.

When I’m not reporting, I enjoy painting, reading, cycling, dancing, traveling (and skydiving) and spending time with friends and my husband and our two-year old son.  My family is the most important thing to me.

As a new Mom, I’m curious what my son Benji will like to do and want to be when he grows up. Right now, I’m thinking surfer since that’s all he talks about. I’m enjoying every minute of motherhood.

Flagler County was one of the fastest growing counties in the country before the crash. It deserves high quality journalism that fosters discussions in the community. I want to help FlaglerLive feature more local video, and I am looking forward to connecting with you. I value the importance of holding people accountable for their actions and I promise to work hard to ensure accountability to all the readers of FlaglerLive.

It’s a very interesting time in journalism, and I feel quite fortunate that I’ve slipped in just in time. So far, it’s been an adventure I wouldn’t trade…unless I was offered the job as the Swedish Prime Minister, of course.

See you soon.

—Charlotte Mårtén