Breaking a murder story is a really big deal for any journalist, and the experience was no different for 9-year-old Hilde Lysiak, the reporter and publisher of Orange Street News (OSN), who just added this professional first to her already long list of impressive accomplishments. But her hard work and dedication to informing her local Selinsgrove, PA community of this major news story wasn’t as well received as her previous stories, which is putting the reaction she got from adult readers mildly.
Across all the beats she covers for OSN, Hilde’s favorite topic to report on is crime, so when she got a tip on some police activity that was going on just a few blocks from her home, she rushed on over. Turns out, Hilde was the only reporter on the scene, beating larger news agencies and television stations to the punch. When she learned a homicide had taken place, she quickly wrote up the story with the details she acquired, including on the scene video, and her dad posted it on the OSN website. The headline read, “Exclusive: Murder on Ninth Street.”
Enter the adult haters…
In reaction to her breaking news story, Hilde and her parents received dozens of “mean” comments from people who think Hilde would be better off “playing with dolls,” and hosting “tea parties” than reporting on a murder.
But Hilde doesn’t really care much about what people think, and her response to her critics is epic… “If you want me to stop covering news, then you get off your computers and do something about the news. There, is that cute enough for you?”
Bam! Way to go Hilde, keep telling it like it is.
What Else You Should Know About Hilde
Hilde caught the journalism bug from her dad Matthew Lysiak, an author and former New York Daily News reporter. One day he took Hilde to work with him, and she was hooked!
OSN first launched when Hilde was 7 with the announcement of her new baby sister. Soon after, she started attending local town meetings, and showing up at breaking news events. Hilde prints a monthly newspaper and with the help of her dad and older sister Isabel, posts more timely stories online.
Her work has also been featured by major new outlets including NBC, The New York Times, TIME, The New York Daily News, Columbia Journalism Review and Politico. An enviable resume to say the least.