The Reflection Room: Interpreting Live Television with Denise Bobadilha

Welcome back to the Reflection Room . This time we're going to be looking at something pretty interesting . Have you ever thought about all the work that goes into making sure you can understand the news ?

Oh , yeah , for sure , especially when it comes from all over the world .

Well , today we're going to be looking specifically at broadcast interpreting for live television news and to help us with this , we're going to be taking a deep dive into the experiences of Denise Bobadilla , an experienced conference interpreter who works in this field , and she interprets Portuguese .

Wow . I mean , most people probably don't even think about the fact that someone's doing that . You know live .

Right , it's one of those things that's hidden in plain sight . You're watching the news and all of a sudden you're hearing a translator's voice , right . But you don't necessarily think about all the work that's going into it and especially all the pressure . I mean , can you imagine trying to interpret breaking news in real time , the whole world watching ?

Yeah , that must be incredibly demanding . I mean , the stakes are so high . It's not like a casual conversation . You know , these are events that are shaping the world .

Absolutely , and what I find so fascinating about Denise's story is that she actually started out as a journalist herself . She spent 20 years covering all sorts of beats , from crime to tourism .

Really 20 years , that's a long time .

It is , it is and it makes you wonder . You know , did those years in journalism kind of give her an advantage when it came to navigating the fast-paced world of live news interpretation ?

Oh , I bet it did . You know , journalists have to think on their feet , process information quickly , communicate clearly under pressure . Those are all essential skills for an interpreter , especially in a live broadcast setting .

And she actually talks about developing kind of an editor mindset in her work , which I thought was really insightful .

Editor mindset huh . What do you think she means by ?

that suggest that she's not just interpreting words . You know she's thinking about the audience . She's trying to shape the message in a way that's clear , concise and engaging for viewers , just like an editor would .

Yeah . Yeah , I see what you mean . Like she's taking on that responsibility to ensure that the message is not only accurate , but also impactful .

Exactly . And it's not just about conveying information , you know . It's also about capturing the emotion , the nuances , the kind of things that can get lost in translation if you're not careful . I bet having that journalistic background really helps with that .

I would think so too . You know , being able to understand the bigger picture , the context surrounding the story , that's got to be crucial for accurately conveying the message .

Oh , absolutely , and you know that editor mindset might be one reason why she was able to land such a coveted role with CNN Brazil .

Oh wow , CNN Brazil . How did that come about ?

Well , it seems like a bit of serendipity and a whole lot of savvy networking . When she heard that CNN Brazil was launching , she reached out to her old journalism contacts and was basically like hey , I'm an interpreter now .

And guess what You're going to need me . Wow , what a bold move . I mean good for her for recognizing the opportunity and going for it .

Yeah , I mean it paid off right . She got the gig in February 2020 . And so her first live TV interpretation was a Democratic Party debate between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden .

Wow , talk about jumping right into the deep end . A political debate on live TV . That must have been intense .

I can't even imagine . And then , just a few weeks later , the pandemic hit .

Oh gosh , so she went from a high stakes political debate to a global pandemic . That must have been a whirlwind of a few months . It was .

Suddenly she's interpreting live coverage of the pandemic , the science , the lockdowns , the economic fallout of the pandemic , the science , the lockdowns , the economic fallout .

It's heavy stuff , and she's dealing with it all in real time while also experiencing the pandemic herself . That's incredible . It makes you think about the emotional toll of that kind of work , especially during such a difficult and uncertain time . I mean , we talk about frontline workers , but interpreters are kind of on the front lines of information , aren't they ?

It's so true , and you know , we often hear about secondary trauma in professions that deal with difficult or traumatic situations , like therapists and first responders . I wonder if interpreters , particularly those working in broadcast news , experience something similar working in broadcast news experience something similar , I'd say it's highly likely .

they're constantly exposed to these intense situations , these stories of suffering and loss , and they have to remain composed and focused while conveying that information accurately . It's got to have an impact .

Denise actually talks about the emotional toll of interpreting live coverage of the pandemic . She describes having to really focus on the message , on the facts , and kind of compartmentalize those emotions in the moment so that she can do her job effectively .

That makes sense . It's like a defense mechanism , a way to protect yourself from being overwhelmed by the emotional weight of what you're interpreting . But it also raises the question of how you process those emotions later on . You can't just bottle them up forever .

Right , it's got to come out eventually , yeah , so what did she say about how she copes with that ? How does she disconnect from the weight of the news and recharge ?

Oh really , what's that ?

Watching cat videos on YouTube .

I love that . It's a good reminder that even in the most serious of professions , finding those moments of levity , of joy is so important .

Absolutely . It's about finding that balance right , Because the work can be so intense , so emotionally draining . You know , not every story she interpreted was about abstract statistics or scientific updates .

I'd love to hear about those stories , you know , the ones that transcend just the headlines and really touch on something deeper , something we can all connect to .

There's one that I found particularly moving , and I think you will too . It was about a father who had lost his entire family in the Ukraine war . Oh my God , and what he found out was just devastating . He saw a photo online , just a photo of their luggage , and he knew that's how he knew they were gone .

Oh wow , that is just heartbreaking . The power of a single image to convey so much loss is incredible and terrifying .

It really is . And Denise was interpreting this story live with the news anchor , visibly emotional , even crying , on air .

I can only imagine how challenging it must have been for her to remain composed while conveying the raw emotion of that moment . Did she talk about how she managed that ?

She admitted that afterwards . She was shaking , couldn't speak and had to take a break .

That's understandable . It's a powerful reminder that this work demands incredible emotional resilience and it highlights that potential for vicarious trauma . You know the idea that we can be affected by other people's trauma even if we haven't directly experienced it ourselves .

It's like that concept of secondary trauma we talked about earlier .

Yeah .

And it makes you wonder are there specific strategies or resources available to help interpreters manage the emotional impact of this work ?

I think that's an important question to explore . There's a growing body of research on vicarious trauma and its effects on various professions . It would be interesting to see what insights that research might offer for interpreters working in these high-stress environments .

It would be , because it's not just about individual coping mechanisms , is it ? It's also about the responsibility of news organizations to provide adequate support and training to help their interpreters navigate these challenges .

Absolutely . It's about creating a work environment that recognizes the unique demands of this profession and provides the necessary resources to support those who are doing this vital work .

And you know , speaking of challenges , denise also opens up about something that I think a lot of people can relate to , regardless of their perfection imposter syndrome .

Imposter syndrome . Huh , Now how does that manifest for someone who's working at the top of their field , like Denise ? I mean , she's interpreting for CNN . You don't get there by accident .

Yeah , it's that feeling like you know you don't really belong , like you're not as good as everyone thinks you are , like you're just waiting to be found out , Right , like at any moment someone's going to realize that you're a fraud , and it's so interesting how those feelings can persist even when , like in Denise's case , there's all this evidence to the contrary .

You'd think so , wouldn't you ? But it often doesn't work that way . So how does she deal with it ?

Well , there's this one story . She tells about a conversation with her therapist . Her therapist asked her would you be where you are today if you were truly bad at this ? Would you have all these clients , all these opportunities , all this recognition ?

Wow , that's a really powerful question .

Right . I mean it really makes you stop and think , it forces you to kind of step outside of those negative thoughts and look at the evidence and your actual accomplishments .

Like sometimes . We need that outside perspective to help us see our own strengths , don't we ?

We do . It's like we get so caught up in our own heads that we forget to acknowledge all the amazing things we've achieved .

Makes me think about Denise's background in journalism . You know , as a journalist you're trained to be objective , to look at the facts . Maybe that same approach helps her when it comes to assessing her own skills . It's like she can separate those imposter syndrome feelings from the reality of her experience and her success .

That's a great point . It's like she can apply that same journalistic rigor to her own self-evaluation .

Right , which is fascinating when you think about it . It shows how our past experiences can influence how we approach challenges in all sorts of unexpected ways .

And speaking of past experiences , you know , it's amazing how Denise seems to have carried that passion for storytelling , for connecting people with information , from her journalism career into her work as an interpreter .

Totally , and it comes through so clearly in the way she describes her work . She even uses this really beautiful metaphor she calls it matchmaking .

Matchmaking yeah , that's an interesting choice of words .

Right , and what she means by that is that she sees herself as connecting people with information , with understanding , even in the midst of chaos . That's so powerful . It really captures the essence of what interpreters do , doesn't it ? They're creating those connections that allow people to understand each other , even in the most difficult of circumstances .

It's so true , and you know she gets the most amazing feedback from viewers people who write in and say things like thank you , I wouldn't know what was going on in the world without your voice .

It's a reminder that their work is so essential , so valuable , even if we don't always see it . So as we kind of wrap up this deep dive into the world of broadcast interpreting , I'm curious what advice does Denise have for someone who's just starting out in this field ?

She actually keeps it pretty simple . She says keep studying and take risks . It really speaks to that idea of continuous learning , of pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone .

And embracing those challenges right , Because that's where growth happens .

Exactly and you know it's a perfect reflection of her own journey . I mean , she transitioned from a successful career in journalism to this whole other world of broadcast interpreting . Talk about a risk , but she did it . She embraced that challenge and she found a way to really align her passion with her skills .

And that's what makes this deep dive so compelling . It's not just about the technical side of broadcast interpreting . It's about the human story behind it . It's about courage and resilience and the power of those invisible roles to really shape our understanding of the world .

So well said , it's been an incredible journey exploring this hidden world of broadcast interpreting .

I couldn't agree more , and I think it leaves us with some really important questions to consider . You know , what role does live interpretation play in shaping public perception ? How do those subtle choices , those nuances in language affect how viewers understand and connect with a story ?

Yeah , those are big questions .

They are . I mean , it's so easy to just take for granted the work that goes into making information accessible across languages and cultures , you know . But , as we've heard from Denise , those decisions that interpreters make , they really do matter . They have the power to shape our understanding of really complex issues .

Absolutely , and you know , it can even influence our emotional responses to a story and how we engage with the world around us .

Yeah , for sure .

So the next time you're watching a news report and you see an interpreter , you know really pay attention not just to the words but to everything else that's being communicated .

The emotion , the tone , the pauses all of it .

Think about the decisions that interpreters making in real time to try to convey not just the information but the feeling , the context , the human story behind the words .

It's really quite a skill .

It is . It's a reminder that there's so many people working behind the scenes to help us understand the world around us , and their work is so important .

It really is

So , as we wrap up , I want to leave you with this thought what if , like Denise , you know , we all try to approach our lives with that same kind of curiosity , that same willingness to keep learning , to take risks ?

Oh , I like that .

I think we could all learn a lot from her story .

And who knows , maybe we'll even discover some hidden talents or passions along the way . Well said , this has been such a fascinating conversation and , who knows , maybe your story will be our next reflection in the Reflection Room .

We'd love to hear your thoughts , so share your reflections and insights with us on social media . Thanks for joining us in the Reflection Room , where we delve into inspiring stories and uncover the wisdom that can guide us on our own unique paths . We'll catch you next time .