Class of
2000
Bio: After a great two years at ‘SC, and while raising three kids, I managed to graduate magna cum laude in 2000.... less than two weeks after my 30th birthday. Within a month and a half, I landed my first job as a full-time anchor at KYMA in Yuma, Arizona. After one year, I was hired at my hometown station, KCRA, the NBC affiliate in Sacramento. I was a live reporter and fill-in anchor on the morning show for two years, (getting up at 1 o’clock in the morning!!!) before landing a weekend anchor gig in Phoenix, at KTVK. Currently, I anchor world and national news segments on Good Evening Arizona (from 4:30-6:30pm)...as well as a 9pm M-F newscast on our sister station, KMSB, which broadcasts from our studios in Phoenix to Tucson.
ATVN positions and duties: Entertainment Anchor/Reporter
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN was invaluable in preparing me for my first job. I was able to gain confidence in front of the camera, as well as a hands-on understanding of what it takes to put a newscast together. From story idea, to setting up interviews, to concise and compelling writing, timing and on-air delivery....the opportunities to get a taste of what the professional world requires, and truly helped me slide right into a full-time anchor job straight out of school.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
My advice is to always go the extra mile to confirm the details of your story...strive for accuracy.
Never underestimate the power of good writing.
If you’re not doing what you love, it will be very hard to move up.
Make sure you work hard and put the time in....do your best every day and eventually, it will pay off.
Above all, have a positive attitude!!!
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1. You need to be a great writer and learn how to do it quickly.
2.Remember to make your stories important, relevant and as interesting as you can....viewers have a short attention span.
3. Be a go-getter. In small markets, you have to dig a little deeper for story ideas. Remember everybody has a story to tell....they’re all around us. Find a way to make it special.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Expect to do the most work you will ever do in this business...and expect little money in return. The good news....it can easily double with each subsequent job you take. Be prepared to work many more hours beyond the schedule you were hired for....look at it as an investment in your future. Don’t worry too much about position....if you’re good, you will move up quickly.
Really try to negotiate the least amount of time under contract...the sooner you put the time in, soak up every opportunity to learn and grow, and work out your on-air kinks, the sooner you can move to a bigger market with more money. Ask for outs in desired markets.
What prepared you most for your current job?
The internships in three L.A. newsrooms stand out as the best preparation—seeing first hand how a top-market news station operates. The chance to pick the brains of directors, producers, assignment editors, writers and talent, as well as access to top-notch equipment in putting together a resume tape helped get me ready for my first job. Also, the on-air experience in my weekly entertainment segment on ATVN allowed me to be more comfortable in front of the camera. Remember, if you don’t look comfortable, your viewers won’t be.
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