Time to be smart

Time to be smart

With summer on the horizon, many people will be heading to the tanning salons in search of a healthy bronze glow.  I also would like to go tanning in the summer to have golden skin. One day I visited the tanning salon after my class as usual and there was a small argument at the tanning store. A customer was complaining to the worker that she burned herself because the worker set the time wrong. She said she wanted to tan for 10 minutes but the worker set the time for 20 minutes. The customer was red as a ripe tomato. 

She claimed that she felt hot in tanning bed but she just decided to wait 10 minutes but she had tanned for 20 minutes. The worker claimed that this was her fault because they always advertise for the customer to stop the tanning bed button when they feel too hot.

 I don’t know if the customer got her money back but I got my news package idea from them. Many people using tanning beds but they don’t know enough on tanning safety. Maybe they do know but they don’t care because they are more into their appearance than safety.

I called several tanning salons but they did not want to be filmed or talk about the safety issues of tanning bed. And one of the tanning salons that I called was actually very offended by it. I explained the story idea and she kept repeating. “Our tanning bed is very safe. Actually all tanning beds are safe.”

 I was about to change to a different topic because I cannot have a news story about tanning beds without a shot of a tanning bed or tanning salons. I called one tanning salon in Jefferson City and explained what I wanted.  She was curious about me calling Jefferson City from Columbia. I told her that I could not find any tanning salons to be on camera about safety tips. She said her sister also owned a tanning salon in Columbia and she gave me a permission to go to the tanning place for the shots. The Sun will shine for whom he waits…!

  The problem with the indoor tanning is that most people don’t take pre – cautions when using beds. I talked to several customers and found out they read and heard about the danger of the tanning bed but it didn't bother them at all. Despite the dangers and the health warnings, some people felt like they just have to tan.

 

My CCC was a fourteen year old named Regan. She loves what she refers to as her “Healthy Glow.” She comes everyday except for Saturday and her mother thinks she is ‘addicted to the tan’. Regan know it’s not good for her to be bronzed all the time but that doesn't keep her from tanning.  My angle was about safety tips in tanning beds but tanning addiction was my follow up for the future. I think many people who use tanning beds often will agree with that angle as well.

 

Getting sources and gathering information about the indoor tanning bed was fun for me. Since I'm an indoor tanning bed lover, I learned so much too. But one of the most important things I learned was no pain and no gain. Yes… there will be plenty of times people will say ‘no’ to the interview, especially if the topic might damage their business or themselves. I, as a journalist, need to prepare for those moments. And I also need to pay attention to details and what people say. The tanning idea was from my tanning store that I go to everyday, so pay attention to your surroundings.