Class of
2005
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Dave Strumpf
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Bio: Dave graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Communication in the Entertainment Industry.
Dave gained experience as a sports anchor and reporter for Annenberg TV News. He was fortunate enough to cover the USC football team in their National Championship seasons in 2003 and 2004. Dave also worked for the Best Damn Sports Show Period on Fox Sports.
Dave is thrilled to be in Charlottesville and a member of UVa’s Flagship stations. He’s eager to contribute to the extensive college and high school sports coverage. In 2007, Dave and the WCAV Sports Department won the Virginia Association of Broadcasters’ award for “Outstanding Sports Coverage.” WCAV topped the larger markets in the state to take home the award.
When he’s not watching sports (which is rare), Dave enjoys golf, comedy shows, and music.
ATVN positions and duties: Sports Anchor and Floor Director
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
Aside from all the basic skills (shooting, editing, producing), one of the best experiences I gained from ATVN was dealing in a fast-paced environment. In the newsroom the hours can feel like minutes as you are racing to put together a story, find an open edit bay, and produce a PKG by deadline. ATVN was a great experience in learning how to multi-task, focus, and put a story together in such little time.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Make sure you are having fun. Find stories that interest you. The more you are invested in a topic, a better story almost always comes out.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1) Shooting - Chances are, you’ll be shooting your own stories at your first broadcasting job. Sometimes reporters overlook how important the visual aspect of the story is. No matter how interesting your story is, a strong sequence of images is what keeps the viewers from changing the channel. Keep the camera on the tripod as much as possible. Don’t forget to white balance.
2) Time Management - Always keep an eye on the clock and know your limits. If it takes you two hours to edit a package, make sure you get back to the station by 4:00 for a 6:00 spot. If you are an editing whiz, you can spend more time out in the field getting better shots or an extra interview. If you are stuck waiting for an interview or edit bay, use the time to start thinking about how you want to tell your story.
3) Overall people skills. Don’t forget to be friendly to everyone you meet, whether you are in the field working on a story, or on your day-off running errands. The relationships you make are key to your success in a small town, especially one where everyone knows everyone. You never know, they could soon come to you with an Emmy-winning news scoop.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
You went to USC and worked at ATVN, which immediately gives you a leg-up on any other candidate trying out for that first job. Exploit that. You are a reporter who can make an immediate and positive impact on the station’s on-air product.
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