Class of
2003
Bio: Formerly a producer at WXII 12 News (NBC) (Market 46). My biggest struggle at WXII was more perceived than anything else. I worried about successfully covering a community I knew little about, much less understood culturally. But I learned quickly that some topics are important in any market: education, crime, growth and unemployment, for example. So with that as a foundation, I read a lot, talk to people and am learning slowly what stories people here really care about. Who knows what’s next. I’m torn between living in a new city in the east and returning to the west. But I know I want to produce in a major market before becoming a manager.
ATVN positions and duties: Executive producer, producer, writer
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
Learning to write quickly and working in a fast-paced environment prepared me for the high level of breaking news we do. And some of the ethical questions that came up at ATVN, though on a smaller scale, prepared me for making tough decisions on deadline and with limited information. ATVN also prepared me to work with a diverse group of coworkers, from anchors and reporters, to other producers and crew members.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Read everything you can: magazines, books and different newspapers. All of it will give you context for writing better stories and asking better questions when there’s a sudden interview or breaking news situation.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
(1) Learn how to write - Far too many people don’t know how to write. (2) Learn how to ask questions - Some experienced reporters miss basic, but important questions by over-complicating interviews. (3) Learn how to listen to the answers - Your best questions will come from your interview subject.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Don’t undersell yourself. You have an excellent education and more hands-on experience than many other job applicants. Be confidant about and sell what you know, don’t volunteer details about what you don’t know, and promise you’ll learn quickly.
What prepared you most for your current job?
Journalism classes provided the foundation for knowing how to think like a journalist. ATVN provided the practical experience of covering stories, working with others and dealing with problems.
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