I WRITE this week’s missive with a strange mix of feelings after a week with a real juxtaposition of many things radio broadcasting and the media is all about.

I’ve been involved in emergency broadcasting many times during my career, so I know what my colleagues across the media were going through as they either headed north to bring stories of Cyclone Debbie and the subsequent flooding further south to you. And again most of them did a great job.

Sure, there were a few headline-seekers who just had to head outside into the tempest or wade into the floodwaters, often at the same time saying: “Authorities say you should stay indoors…”

More locally, the team at 2CC was on board for the Cancer Support Group Eden Monaro’s own Convoy for Cancer Families. And it was amazing – having talked about the event for months – to hear the dollars rolling in during the lead truck auction and then to ride in the Convoy itself was a great experience.

There was more excitement when, after multiple interviews on my radio show (and it must be said, some other media outlets), the ACT government decided it would, somewhat belatedly, come to the party for the wonderful people at SHOUT (Self Help Organisations United Together) with funding.

Having spoken to so many people about the work SHOUT does and knowing it wouldn’t qualify under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, it was very much a warm feeling to know that the sustained pressure had seemingly made a difference.

But in amongst those moments that had made me happy to be a member of the media, as last week drew to a close, there was a moment of sadness. On my “Canberra Live” program last Thursday, we’d been following the progress of Belgian cyclist Kristof Allegaert who was the lead rider in the remarkable bicycle race from Fremantle to Sydney. He came through Canberra while the program was on air, and he had opened up a sizeable lead over his closest rival, Britain’s Mike Hall. The sadness came the next morning, when the news came through that Hall had lost his life in an accident south of Royalla.

It’s always difficult to find the right way to approach a story when it turns from a celebration to a genuine tragedy; a set of circumstances that give pause as you think back over what you’ve said the previous day.

When a story has been lighthearted and you’ve had a bit of fun with it, when things go wrong, you wonder if you actually said something at the time that was okay, but in hindsight might be regarded as out of line. When that happens, it can be very difficult to continue coverage in the right vein. That wasn’t the case this time, but I can recall several times it’s happened, to colleagues and to me, in the past. “Awkward” doesn’t go far enough in those circumstances.

My apologies if this week’s words have come across as a little self-indulgent, but I’m often asked what my job’s like and I feel these events highlight the roller-coaster ride we’re on in the media when we’re bringing stories to you.

Chris Coleman presents “Canberra Live”, 3pm-6pm weekdays on 2CC.