Christina Merino: Long Beach Press-Telegram’s Reporter
- Cesar Guerrero Isaias
- 4 hours ago
- 8 min read
Christina Merino is the City Hall reporter for the Long Beach Press-Telegram — part of the Southern California News Group — covering City Council meetings and local government issues throughout the city of Long Beach. At just 25, Merino has built a career grounded in passion, dedication to her community, and a commitment to the integrity of local journalism. The Windjammer had the honor of interviewing her journey as a reporter, and her vital role in keeping the Long Beach community informed.
When asked what drew her to journalism and how her early experiences prepared her for the field, Christina Merino reflects on the paths she explored in both high school and college.
“In high school I was interested in a lot of different careers, from STEM to the performing arts, especially dance. Two things that I knew I enjoyed doing was writing and connecting with people, so I started looking for different careers that involved those. I finally found journalism and it piqued my interest. I went to Antelope Valley College where I got my associate’s degree in communications and also took a couple of journalism classes and I learned that I really liked it and decided that would be what I pursued as I continued my higher education… I found two online internships that really helped shape what I learned as a student. One of those internships was for an online magazine based in New York. The editor there really taught me so much, from how to write a lede to how to meet quick deadlines. The second internship I did was with a talent agency in New York, where I would interview their artists and write profiles on them to put on their website, as well as press releases for events they hosted.”
What really helped cement Merino’s love for journalism, she says, was being part of the Daily Forty-Niner, now the Long Beach Current. She worked there for two semesters — first as Arts and Culture Assistant Editor, then as Opinions Editor — which helped her gain skills she uses today. “It helped me learn how to meet deadlines, work with editors, and learn how to take constructive critiques that will help improve my stories. Sometimes you need a fresh set of eyes to see if there are questions or details that are missing that will make your work stronger,” she comments. Merino adds that connecting with the local editors in Long Beach before graduating was a turning point for her career. “I set up informational interviews with the editors at the Long Beach Post, Signal Tribune, and the Press-Telegram. Talking with the editors really helped me learn what exactly the editors at each publication were looking for and what skills I should work on strengthening before I graduated. It was also how I got offered a job at the Press-Telegram”
She started as a news assistant at the Press-Telegram, covering city events and council stories, then became a full-time reporter for the Whittier Daily News, which is also part of the Southern California News Group. “I covered city council and other city events for Whittier, Montebello, Pico Rivera and Santa Fe Springs. Then in 2024 an opportunity opened up again at the Press-Telegram for the city hall reporter position, which I was able to take up and that’s where I am currently.” Her primary focus is on City Council meetings, although she does cover a range of local news and community events. She contributes a weekly column, “For a Good Cause,” to the Grunion Gazette, the sister publication of the Press-Telegram. “This year was my first time placing in the California Journalism Awards. I won first place in Division 4 for Homelessness Reporting, and second place in Division 4 for Travel Writing.”
The Windjammer asked Merino why she believes local journalism is still so vital, and Merino emphasizes the role of newspapers as ‘watchdogs.’ Merino states, “When communities are informed, they are able to participate more in local government and advocate for the changes that they want to see in their communities. The hope for every local journalist is that the information that we provide our readers will allow them to form their own opinions and hopefully move them to take action and participate in civic engagement.” Merino emphasizes that local newspapers are important for all communities, both big and small, keeping residents informed and promoting transparency.
“For City Hall specifically, local journalism is how people know what is happening in their community when elected officials want to make extreme decisions without their constituents' perspectives or simply knowing how the city is spending tax dollars. Are they allocating funds into causes that you as a resident care about? That’s where a local paper can help inform community members: Long Beach is operating with a $3.7 billion fiscal budget and is prioritizing investments into improving infrastructure, public safety, small businesses, homelessness and supporting the local immigrant community, among other needs.”
Merino mentions how local reporting not only keeps residents informed about what their community members are asking for, but it also holds elected officials accountable for their actions. Merino reflects on her experience covering local issues: “Long Beach is lucky that it has several publications that are informing our community about different topics. I feel very lucky to be just one of those people who is helping share local government stories but also the stories of the people in our community that these policies are affecting or just sharing stories of people doing good in their community during such difficult times for many. This year, I wrote a story about Robb Smith, founder of Alley Cat Deliveries, he is such a pillar in the Long Beach community and is always willing to help everyone out. I really enjoyed getting to know him more and seeing how much he does for Long Beach. There are so many great people in Long Beach like Smith who make an impact on people’s lives and telling their stories is always an honor.”
Regarding how social media has changed the way she reports or interacts with the public, Merino highlights how social media has become a huge part of modern journalism, reshaping how news is reported and consumed alike. She points out how about 53% of U.S. adults now get their news from social media, according to the Pew Research Center. As a local reporter, Merino manages her own social media whilst collaborating with Southern California News Group’s Instagram page (@the.socal.local) alongside the Press-Telegram’s Instagram Page to share stories, promote coverage, and interact with the community during major events, such as the Rose Parade.
“We all use it as a tool to get more interaction in hopes that people will click our story links and read our articles. It also helps me be informed about what people are thinking about local government decisions and different events happening in the community. Sometimes social media will be the only way an organization shares about their event and if I hadn’t checked I would not have known it was going to happen.”
Regarding pressure or pushback after publishing a story, Merino explains that similarly to communicating with the community through social media, there is also pushback on articles through resources such as email. “You start to learn to differentiate when a reader is just contacting you to complain or if they are actually trying to help you be more informed about a situation.” She comments how she often reads these messages to see if any additional information can be shared in her next story, and on rare occasions she replies to see if the sender is genuinely interested in providing more information. Merino stresses how important it is to remember: “never take it personal, even if a reader's words do attack you it’s important to stick to your code of ethics and make sure you did your best to cover all sides of a story the first time around.”
On the topic of difficulties as a reporter, Merino says one of the toughest parts of being a reporter is learning to set personal feelings aside when a story hits close to home. Merino mentions, “As a Latina journalist, the recent news about ICE raids has been very difficult to see. I think it’s very important to have those emotions, that’s what makes us human, but it takes a lot of practice to learn that for a moment you need to put those aside to do your job to the best of your ability. If I reach out to an immigrant rights organization, I also have to reach out to DHS. It still remains your utmost responsibility as a journalist to include both sides. I’ve also had to be in a room full of people who were completely against my personal beliefs.”
Merino recalls covering Trump supporters watching the debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris. “It’s an experience I’ll never forget because their reactions were completely opposite than what I would personally have reacted but I had to remain respectful and professional because even though it can be tough to hear, it’s my job to include their voices in our stories too,” she comments.
Merino reflects on the broader challenges facing journalists today, from the treatment of female reporters at national outlets to the declining pay in local journalism. “Local journalism does not pay like it used to, but I truly believe that it’s a career of passion. And if you truly love what you’re doing, eventually more opportunities – and hopefully more money – will eventually come.”
Finally, some advice she’d like to share to students who want to pursue journalism:
“My advice for students who want to pursue journalism is don’t be afraid. Yes, it might seem scary right now and from the outside it looks like there may not be a lot of opportunities, but if you work hard and really dedicate yourself, you will find those opportunities. Build up your skills as soon as possible because the field is competitive, but every single career is competitive right now. It’s never too early to start finding what you like and find your voice as a writer or reporter.
Again, learn how to cover breaking news stories, it’s in every type of journalism you can be in. If you can start to get your work published at local or even national publications it’s a great stepping stone to connecting with people in the industry that can help you make your next move. I’m super grateful to my CSULB professor Gary Metzker because he was the one who helped me connect with the editor Chris Haire at the Press-Telegram. Making connections in the industry is also important, I promise every journalist is always excited to share about their experience and should be encouraging you to pursue your dream.
You also need to be an informed citizen. Know what is happening in your own community and don’t be afraid to pitch your story idea. You should also try to read other people’s work. It is helpful to learn how they have created their voice as a writer and you get an idea as to why people go out of their way to read their work and what makes their words and ideas so appealing. Journalism has always been important and it will continue to be important, because no matter what happens, the best way to tell human stories is through other humans helping bring those stories to light.”
The Windjammer is eternally grateful for the opportunity of sharing Christina Merino’s journey, along with her insights on the importance of local journalism, the challenges and rewards of the job, and the experiences she has gained along the way.