By ALLEN PROTHMAN
J Alumni News staff
Eric Pfanner, his daughter and wife live in Paris
Eric Pfanner traveled halfway across the country to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for college, only to later find himself working halfway across the world in Paris.
Pfanner, a New Hampshire native and a 1991 graduate of the J school, said he came to the university without previous journalism experience.
“Unlike a lot of people in the journalism college, I came to UNL with no high school experience in journalism,” Pfanner said in an e-mail interview. “I couldn’t even type. But I had to choose something and quickly realized I had made the right decision.”
Since then, Pfanner, 41, has worked in great cities for great newspapers and has covered the media beat at a time when many things are changing in the media business. From his base in Paris, Pfanner is now the media editor and a columnist for the International Herald Tribune, the global edition of The New York Times.
Describing his career plans, Pfanner said, “With luck, to remain a correspondent for the Herald Tribune and the Times in interesting places, covering interesting stories.”
Talent, determination and creativity — more than luck — have led to Pfanner’s success.
Covering the ‘I’ islands
“I’ve tried to make a habit of covering crises in North Atlantic island countries whose names begin with the letter ‘I,’” Pfanner said. “So last year, when Iceland was headed for economic disaster with its currency collapsing and its banks going bust, I rushed to the scene to do a feature story on what it was like living in the most economically devastated country in the developed world. I got to meet Bubbi Morthens, the Elvis of Iceland, who was doing a protest concert outside the Parliament.”
In autumn 2009, Pfanner went to Ireland during a vote on the Lisbon Treaty, which would affect Ireland’s relationship with the European Union.
“The debate got caught up in the economic situation afflicting Ireland, which has been pretty serious, too,” Pfanner said.
Long before Pfanner began filing stories from island nations, his talent and determination were evident to his J school teachers. For example, while serving as editor of the Daily Nebraskan one semester he enrolled in both typography and photojournalism. He also came down with mononucleosis.
“It’s not recommended that both of those courses be taken at the same time,” said former J school professor George Tuck. “But Eric was one of those guys who thought he could beat the odds, and he did.”
Good foundation at UNL
Tuck said Pfanner was an attentive and serious student.
“Eric was overall a very nice student and a good guy to have around the J school,” Tuck said.
Pfanner said he found a strong community in the J school, and the Daily Nebraskan, where he worked from his sophomore year through graduation, was a “home away from home.”
“Eric left a lot of broken hearts on campus when he graduated. He was very outgoing and charming; he had kind of an offbeat sort of subtle humor about him,” emeritus professor Bud Pagel said. “He was involved with one of the best DNs we have ever had. The other students of that team went on to do great things, but Eric was one of the main guns.”
After graduation, Pfanner was an editor at the Chicago Tribune. In 1995, he took a similar position at The New York Times.
Short stay: 11 years
In 2001, Pfanner heard about an opening at the International Herald Tribune, so he stopped by Paris for an interview on the way home from a ski vacation in France.
Pfanner had almost forgotten about his interview until many months later when he received a call offering him a job. He thought it might be fun for a short time, but he has been in Paris for 11 years.
Pfanner said his work philosophy is to try to write for his readers rather than his editors or sources, but it’s “easier said than done.”
When Pfanner isn’t working at the Herald Tribune, he enjoys going with his daughter to a playground with a view of the Eiffel Tower. He also likes skiing with his wife and friends as well as visiting French wineries.
His recommendation for aspiring reporters comes with experience: “My advice for young journalists would be to pace yourself.”
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