Class of
2004
Bio: I graduated from USC in the summer of 2004. I was lucky enough to stay in Los Angeles and work for the national FSN a few months after graduation. And that’s where I am at this second in my life.
ATVN positions and duties: Sports Director, Producer, Reporter, Writer/Shooter/Editor
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
The only reason I got my job was because of all the work I did at ATVN. I came to the school as an eager, yet “green” freshman, and learned just about everything I know about sports journalism from ATVN.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
WORK. I know that you’re in college and it’s fun/crazy/hectic, but work. And make sure you enjoy the work you’re doing at ATVN. If you’re not loving every minute of the journalism experience you’re getting at ATVN, choose another major. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another atmosphere as great to work in as ATVN.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1) Understand EVERY aspect of television journalism. If you want to be on camera, still learn how to roduce/what goes into production (and vice versa). Learn how to edit on the Avid machines. Understand what every position in the studio is about. Learn how to write and shoot. Nobody’s going to decide you’re TOO qualified to work at their station. 2) Think outside the box. Always try to be creative in what you’re doing. You’ll learn the basics of writing a story/reporting/producing from the classes you’re in. But what will make you stand out is how you incorporate your own creativity in telling these daily stories. Always be thinking of a different angle to take on a generic story. 3) Go out and get your feet wet. If you’re going to make mistakes in this business, what better place to make them than as a student at ATVN. Volunteer for whatever you can at ATVN. This isn’t a real textbook-based career. You figure out what to do in this business through personal experience. So get as many of those personal experiences you can while at ATVN.
What prepared you most for your current job?
Would simply saying ATVN be too corny? It really was though. I had three or four internships while at USC...and they were important. But being in ATVN as much as possible and acquiring the skills (and resume tape material) there helped prepare me most for “the real world.”
Class of
2005
ATVN positions and duties: News Anchor, Weather Anchor, Reporter, Director, Technical Director
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
I was surprised at how many skills and experiences from ATVN carried over into the legal setting. The ability to communicate clearly and concisely, to interview people effectively and comfortably, and to use creative research methods are useful in the newsroom as well as the courtroom.
Class of
2004
Bio: I graduated from USC in May 2004, and now I work as a desk assistant at ABC in New York. Before that, I interned all the time (ABC, CBS, KABC, a small station in Tennessee) and worked for ATVN.
ATVN positions and duties: Assignment Desk / Writer-Shooter-Editor / Producer
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
Producing at ATVN gave me a solid understanding of how all the elements of both individual stories and entire broadcasts come together. Having that experience made it much easier for me to adapt to working on the assignment desk here, a job that requires me to keep track of elements for both national and foreign stories.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Make sure you love news before you commit to it. In this business, the hours are long and the pay can be crappy (especially at the beginning), so if you don’t love it, then it might not be for you. That said, if you do love it, never give up on doing what you really want to do. The road to the top may be long, but the payoff is worth it.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1. Writing - I know everyone says it, but it’s true. No matter where you are, people will judge you by your writing skills. That doesn’t just apply to scripts, either. In big places, people are also looking at your e-mails and notes, and if those are poorly written, you might not get the chance to write scripts at all.
2. News judgement - Even as a desk assistant, I’m often the first person people contact to pitch stories to the network. If I think something’s not important and pass on it, and it’s something we would have actually covered, I’m the one who’ll take the blame. Likewise, if I’m constantly forwarding stories that we would never cover, I’ll lose the respect of my co-workers. You have to learn what’s important and what’s not to the organization you’re working for, whether it’s ATVN, a local station, or a network.
3. Multi-tasking - Working in news often means doing a lot of things at the same time, so you have to be able to do things quickly and correctly. Always know the status of your projects, because you never know when someone’s going to ask you for an update. And always make sure you do things right, no matter how big of a hurry you’re in. My favorite sign in the ATVN newsroom says “Fouling Negates Hustle.” Live by that sign.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Use your contacts! While you’re interning, make it a point to connect with the people around you, because those people can really help when you’re looking for your first job. Trust me, it’s much easier to get an interview when you have an introduction from a friend of the person you want to see.
What prepared you most for your current job?
Everything - the hands-on experience I got at ATVN and internships, the journalism principles I learned in class, the people who mentored me - that whole background helps me now, and I’m sure it will help me in the future.
Class of
2006
ATVN positions and duties: Producer, Reporter, Director, News Anchor, Weather Anchor, Writer-Shooter-Editor, Technical Director, Assistant Director, Teleprompter
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN provides excellent, real world experience. I feel that each opportunity I had helped me further understand how a newsroom and newscast function. In production I learned how to construct a logical newscast and how to choose which stories actually affect and are of importance to the community. Reporting is as close to the real world as you’ll ever get. At most first jobs (like mine) you’re still a one man band. You have to be thinking about how you want to tell your story visually while you’re out on your story so you can shoot the most compelling video possible.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Always be thinking like a journalist and take advantage of the opportunities provided at USC. Whether you’re at the grocery store or pumping your gas, always check out your surroundings. Keep an eye out for anything that seems out of place or that may work as a great story. Also, engage in small talk with people as much as possible. You never know who the stranger next to you in line may be. Everyone has an incredible story to tell.
As an Annenberg Alumn you’re incredible competition to others looking for jobs in your field. ATVN is spectacular because you get so much experience that isn’t offered at other universities, and it’s evident to news directors looking for their next talent.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
Read, read, read. I know we all like to immerse ourselves in thoughtless magazines and TV shows, but take time out to read books that aren’t part of your class reading. Educate yourself on as many topics as possible.
Learn to love your weakness. Mine is politics. I rarely read politic stories or follow local politics and there’s just no way to survive in any community without understanding it at least on the surface. So take 15 minutes out of your day to read up on international, national and local stories you might not normally take interest in.
Network! - at your internships and with your peers. It’s important to make good impressions at your internships; ask the right questions and get to know people who can guide you along your career. Just as important is developing friendships with your peers in your career. We’ll all run into eachother at some point. Don’t burn any bridges and be as professional as you can inside and out of the newsroom.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
The only thing I felt comfortable negotiating was my relocation cost. Otherwise, I personally don’t feel that as a starting reporter we’re in any place to really negotiate our jobs. You can do this on your own by selecting cities you’d rather live in and hopefully be able to narrow it down that way.
What prepared you most for your current job?
EVERYTHING. I volunteered for as many things I could and that was the smartest thing I could’ve done at ATVN. Each job I took on helped me understand how to properly put together a great newscast. I believe in order to be a good reporter or produer - whatever you decide to pursue- you have to understand every single role in the newsroom. I’m still shooting and editing my own material, and I could not have been this prepared without Annenberg and the incredible professors and staff that supported me along the way.
Class of
2004
Bio: After stints as an intern, freelance producer, and freelance reporter at a handful of broadcast and national and local cable stations, I graduated from USC in 2004, eager to pay my dues in the vast, untamed small market TV jungle. A little over a week after graduation, I started reporting at the ABC affiliate in Gainesville, FL. Don’t let the market rank fool you; it’s home to the University of Florida - the fourth-largest university in the country and home to the Florida Gators - which makes it one big party town, with plenty of news on the side! It’s the only station in the market (everyone else is piped in from Jacksonville and Orlando), so the ratings are ridiculous (an average of 40% of all TV viewers watch our news at any given time), and the advertising sales folks rake in tons of money.
ATVN positions and duties: Reporter
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
I can’t stress how instrumental my day-of-air shifts were in softening the initial stress factor I encountered when I started working my first job. Every other gig I had (ranging from hosting infomercials to turning evergreen-style packs) lacked a critical factor: a same-day deadline. When you’ve only got a four-hour time frame, you’re forced to learn time management skills, and your journalistic and creative judgment both intensifies and quickens. I’ve been lucky enough to have covered three hurricanes (Charley, Frances and Jeanne...they helped me develop some superb live shot skills) as well as all four major 2004 presidential candidates - up close and personal. Add the daily news items I’ve covered, and the experience has turned me into a detail-conscious speed demon at the keyboard and in the edit bay. And mistakes...ohhhhh, the mistakes! Why not make them while you’re in school, instead of on the air at a commercial station where chew-outs and lawsuits are always lurking around the corner? I’m glad I didn’t start my broadcast career in a medium- or large-sized market; believe me, I made plenty of mistakes in my first job that I’ll never make again, but that would be much bigger issues at a higher level. Day-to-day experience matters, and I’m getting it.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
I don’t mean to sound like a lackey, but don’t take things too seriously! That’s not to say you should ever compromise accuracy and fairness; but don’t spend your time stressing over the composition of a shot, the wording of a story that’s already aired, or an unintentional mishap. This stuff isn’t brain surgery, and it shouldn’t be treated as such. If you’re starting on-air in a small market, get out and have some fun! The folks I work with are some of my best friends, and we regularly hit up the town for a few drinks and some great conversation...I love the work, but I also love the fun we have after work! That having been said, also watch out for legal issues. The best way to avoid trouble lies in constant attribution...you can never attribute too much when your reputation’s on the line.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
Come on...do I even have to answer this one? Okay; I’ll satisfy the educational gods:
1. Writing
2. Shooting
3. Editing
And, I’ll add a fourth, if that’s okay:
4. Schmoozing...I mean it...how’s a murder suspect’s best friend going to talk to you if you don’t establish a personal rapport with them from the get-go? Trust me. Schmoozing works...especially if you want to become a politician after doing the journalism thing!
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Before I instruct you to get a little self-absorbed, remember this: news directors in small markets generally have a set salary and benefit package to offer entry-level reporters. They are usually bound by it, which means you can’t really negotiate your way to higher pay. Do your time, and you’ll soon be in a position to start negotiating with a station that will have some flexibility. Now back to the self-absorbed preface. The biggest mistake of my life (I think) was signing a two-year contract. I did it because, by declining out opportunities in my second year, I was guaranteed a modest raise. Since I started working here, I’ve seen many a reporter move on to mid-sized markets after their first year. Some have had to pay the station to buy out their contracts; others wisely signed one-year contracts, and get out penalty-free. And man, if you can get an N.D. to provide you a clothing allowance, do it. If you’re on-air every day like I am, your wardrobe really takes a toll!
What prepared you most for your current job?
See above, and...staying up on the news. I’ve had the incredible good fortune to start my broadcast career in a state that’s often making national headlines...the hurricanes and many aspects of the 2004 campaign called the Sunshine State home, and it would’ve been difficult to turn the stories I did without staying up on current events. I will admit, however...I know close to NOTHING about the sports or entertainment worlds, which is fine with me - call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think those two subject areas constitute real news. Okay...let the attacks begin!
Class of
2006
Bio: I started out at WJET/WFXP in Erie as the morning and noon anchor. After 2.5 years there, I got hired as the Westmoreland County Bureau Chief at KDKA in Pittsburgh.
ATVN positions and duties: Executive Producer, Producer, News/Weather Anchor, Reporter, Director, Technical Director, Camera, Playback…
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
It’s the real deal… you just don’t get paid for it.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
I’ve gotten both of the jobs I’ve had by being in the right place at the right time. I think the key is being ready when the opportunity comes up.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
Writing, Meeting Deadlines, Making Contacts
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
There won’t be much negotiating. If you don’t want the job, someone else will. Just make sure you know what you are signing. Don’t take a job you don’t want hoping it will get better as you go.
What prepared you most for your current job?
ATVN—it’s the real deal, you just don’t get paid for it! 402, 403 and internships were important too.
Class of
1999
Bio: Over the last nine years, Tracey Schmitt has served as a senior communications adviser in both the private and public sector. Most recently she was asked take a leave of absence from her current job to travel as the Press Secretary for Vice-Presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin and the Deputy Communications Director for the McCain-Palin 2008 campaign. Schmitt worked on both the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns,where she oversaw the communications strategy for the Western States. During the Bush Adminstration, she served as a communications aide in the White House, and later as the Press Secretary for the Republican National Committee and the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Committee. Currently, she is the Director of Corporate Communications for Emergent BioSolutions, a publicly traded company that develops and manufactures biopreparedness countermeasures for the United States Government. Schmitt periodically appears on national television as a Republican Strategist.
ATVN positions and duties: Anchor and reporter 1998 and 1999
Class of
2000
Bio: Tom Henkenius graduated from the University of Southern California with degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science, Go Trojans! After college Tom spent two years teaching junior high kids in Southern California. But it was quickly back to television. He returned to reporting in Torrance, California from there he moved to Greenville, Mississippi where he anchored the top rated morning show for the local CBS affiliate.
But moving to Northern Nevada means doing what he loves closer to home. You can catch Tom live every day during “Channel 2 News this Morning.”
In his free time, Tom enjoys swimming, cooking, reading, tennis and yoga. But his true passion is news… he’s a news junkie and loves to know what’s going on all over the world.
Awards: Northern California Area Daytime Emmy- Smaller Market
Best Newscast
ATVN positions and duties: ATVN reporter/CU@USC exec producer/host
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN gave me the basics of reporting, the nuts and bolts of getting the job done.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
It’s how you take the nuts and bolts that Annenberg gives to you that makes you a great reporter. Success as a reporter means: working on your craft everyday; learning something new everyday; and loving your job (almost) everyday.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1 - Making a solid resume tape
2 - Learning that they work in television and not print, your video has
to drive your story
3 - Learning how to live on a TINY budget.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Take what you get… But don’t lock yourself into these long term contracts everyone is asking for now. Two years with outs during the last 6 months is fair.
What prepared you most for your current job?
In the end, this whole business comes down to self-confidence and who you know. You have to be confident enough to stand in front of a camera telling thousands of people what’s going on in the world around them,but you have to make it interesting and you have to make it relatable. And, stay in touch with all the contacts you made (including fellow students), they may not be able to get you the job, but they can get your resume to the people who can.
Class of
1999
Bio: Tina will be the first one to tell you she has the best job at KMIR. As the reporter for KMIR 6 Today, she gets to meet new people and explore new places in the valley every morning. If you wake up early, maybe you’ve seen some of her more unusual assignments: flying in a fighter jet over Thermal, jumping into the lake at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, skydiving in an indoor tunnel in Perris, swimming with Beluga whales at Sea World, play with meerkats in Morongo Valley, hanging out with Al Roker on the set of Heroes, and reporting live from the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
Tina may be willing to make a fool of herself for our enjoyment, but she is also a serious journalist with more than ten years in the news business. She’s been a reporter and anchor in the Inland Empire, Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A New Jersey native, she graduated from the University of Southern California and met her husband at her first job at KCAL-TV in Los Angeles.
Class of
2008
ATVN positions and duties: Audio, Writer/Shooter/Editor, Sports, Floor Manager
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
For all those non-Journo and non-Comm majors who decided to work at ATVN like myself (if any), working at ATVN was great! It is always fun working in television, but being a part of a news show helped develop skills you couldn’t learn in the class room and it also is a great thing to talk about at any job interview (if you don’t go into journalism). You can talk about your experience in writing, your development of the skills with the technology at ATVN, etc.
As an engineering major, learning how to communicate well was not something they taught me in my engineering courses, but it is something that is demanded of me at my current job. ATVN was a big part in preparing me for all the writing and project making I am doing today.
Class of
2004
Bio: Thanh Tan joined KATU News in March 2007.
She previously worked at KBCI-TV in Boise, Idaho, as a general assignment reporter. While there, she specialized in covering politics and the Idaho Legislature. Thanh’s favorite assignments include reporting on the Dalai Lama’s visit to Sun Valley and traveling throughout Asia in 2005 to report on then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne’s trade mission with a delegation of Idaho businesses and government leaders.
Thanh graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with degrees in International Relations and Broadcast Journalism. She developed a passion for journalism through several years of internships and freelance gigs with KOMO-TV in Seattle, ABC News Nightline in Washington, D.C., National Public Radio’s Day to Day and CNN in Los Angeles.
Her work has received numerous awards from the Idaho Press Club and the Idaho State Broadcasters Association.
She is inspired by the words of legendary broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow: “To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful.”
ATVN positions and duties: Playback / Assistant Director / Writer-Shooter-Editor / Reporter / Anchor
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
DEADLINE PRESSURE-- Time management is an essential skill in this craft. ATVN gave me a good taste of what to expect in the “real” world. Between setting up stories, shooting video, writing, and editing-- ATVN forced me to work quickly and value accuracy. A tough combination that takes practice. Remember, you’ve got to turn your packages on time. If you don’t, you’re screwed. There’s no better place for a college student to practice time management than ATVN.
WRITING-- ATVN was the only place during college where I was able to report my own stories for air. The more you write, the better you’ll get. I freelanced for a station in Seattle during the summers. The skills I learned at ATVN served me well. I got to take on some GREAT stories in a big market, thanks to my ATVN experience during the school year.
TEAM PLAYER-- TV news is all about team work. We’re all in this together. ATVN taught me the importance of communicating and cooperating with EVERYONE in the newsroom. Whether they were working on-air, with graphics, technical directing, or editing, etc.... my teammates helped me become a better reporter.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
- Seek out mentors in college and after! I came to my station in Boise specifically because I knew the station’s managing editor/senior editor is an amazing journalist who led a team that received a duPont Columbia AND a National Edward R. Murrow award. Not bad for a small station in Boise, ID. I’ve been here three weeks and he’s helped me TREMENDOUSLY.
- Don’t look to work for a station with the highest ratings. Look for quality of content and potential. Actually, it’s pretty fun to be the underdog station in town!
- Understand the essential role journalists play in a free society. In particular, broadcast journalists. You’re not there just to be a pretty face. You’re there to be a truth-teller, and to use the visual medium as a way to educate and inform the public. That is a HUGE responsibility that should be taken seriously.
- Read, watch, and listen to as much news as you possibly can. This includes tuning in to what the competition is doing.
- Read the U.S. Constitution. Understand why freedom of the press is so important. Sounds nerdy, but it’s soooo important! Plus, it makes for great conversation.
- Watch, read, and listen to the BEST news sources: Nightline, 60 Minutes, New York Times, and NPR. You’ll learn what good journalism is and develop a critical eye/ear.
- Watch the films ‘Broadcast News’ and ‘Network’-- then think about what you’re getting yourself into. There are all sorts of ethical issues we need to be aware of. Plus, these movies are fun to watch.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
WRITING-- Self-explanatory. News directors value this skill-- so will the people tuning in to listen to your newscast. You’re basically a storyteller-- learn to develop your own style and presentation.
NETWORKING-- Knowing people who recognize your skills is essential. Comes in handy when you’re looking for that first job. Sometimes, knowing someone from the ‘inside’ is enough to get your tape out of a pile of hundreds of applicants.
ADAPTIVE CAPACITY-- Learn how to roll with the punches and be flexible. Take the initiative and intern for different newsrooms. Shoot and edit your own stuff- most likely your first job will require you to do some one-man-banding. I find myself picking up a camera once in a while at my job. Every time I do-- I think of how grateful I am that ATVN encouraged me to shoot my own material. My station’s chief photographer and editors probably feel the same way!
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
- Send lots of tapes out. You’ve got a LOT of competition!
- Follow up with an e-mail or phone call to the news director.
- Contact USC alumni working at stations you’re interested in-- it helped me!
- Do your research on the company and know what you’re getting yourself into-- good or bad.
- Don’t ever settle with the first draft of a contract. You may be getting paid nothing and feel that you have no leverage-- but there is always room to negotiate. I think I was able to negotiate an ideal agreement because I was respectful to my news director and gave him reasons for my requests. DO NOT BE RUDE!!!
What prepared you most for your current job?
- INTERNSHIPS THAT LED TO PAID WORK--I interned/worked/freelanced with KABC, KOMO, NPR, Nightline, and CNN throughout my college career. Just being in a news environment will teach you a lot and motivate you. I still have contacts at those places and they have helped me get to where I am at this point in my career. I still keep in touch with them on a constant basis.
- ATVN. I never would have exceled at these news organizations if I had not become involved with ATVN during my freshman year of college. I learned the basics there. Also, I was able to put several reporter packages and stand-ups on my reel. When you’re looking for a job-- it all comes down to that 5-minute demo tape!! Thanks to ATVN, I had some decent stuff to use. It was enough to get me a job I absolutely love in an ideal market.
- Living in Los Angeles. Do you know how lucky you are to have LA as your news “lab”???? There’s sooo many great stories there related to politics, crime, culture, arts, entertainment, etc. It helped me transition into my current position as a general assignment reporter.
Class of
2001
Bio: Teresa is thrilled to be in Tucson. She joined the KOLD news team in January of 2006. Before coming to Arizona, Teresa worked at KEZI-TV in Eugene, Oregon as weekend anchor and reporter.
Teresa was born in South Korea, but grew up in Los Angeles, California. She attended UCLA, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications. She then attended graduate school at USC, obtaining a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism.
After graduating, Teresa worked in the Los Angeles bureau of ABC NewsOne, the network’s satellite feed service. She also reported and anchored for a cable news program in Hawthorne, California.
What Teresa loves most about her job is that, “As a journalist, you are constantly learning about the people and world around you. I am discovering new things everyday about Tucson, and falling in love with the climate, culture, and community.”
ATVN positions and duties: Anchor, reporter
Class of
2000
 |
Tamara Garton McDermott
|
Bio: 2000-2003 KPAX-TV CBS Missoula, MT
Morning Anchor, Producer, Reporter (one man band)
Awards: Associated Press Award
National Press Foundation Fellow
ATVN positions and duties: News Anchor
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN gave me hands on experience in both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. I was also able to use the equipment and professors to put together a resume tape landing me a job within a month of graduating from USC.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Don’t let anyone stop you from reaching your dreams! Complete as many internships as you can especially ones in your hometown. Also, contact alumni for connections!
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
-Writing
-Keep up to date on current news and events.
-Be professional (dress, social networking websites, communication etc...)
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
-Job duties
-length of contract (outs)
-hours
Class of
2003
ATVN positions and duties: Writer, Weather Anchor, News Anchor, Producer
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN gave me a model for how to function in a working newsroom. I got to learn how various positions interacted and contributed to the final product. I also got a chance to try everything out to see what was the best fit for me.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
First and foremost, know that there are few glamorous jobs in journalism. Be prepared to work overnights, overtime and over the weekend. This is not just something people say, this is the truth. On that note, remember that it doesn’t matter where you came from. Everyone needs to earn their place. Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom. It will only make the climb up more enjoyable.
Oh yeah, and learn something about the web. It is no longer a bonus, it is expected. Journalism is not what it used to be. Stay flexible and you will stay employed.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
Networking—All together now, “it’s not what you know, but who you know”
Initiative—Everyone loves a go-getter
Writing—You can’t argue with a great writer
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Respect yourself, but also remember this is just the start. Don’t expect too much.
What prepared you most for your current job?
No question...internships. Try one, try ten, try them all.
Class of
1999
 |
Suzanne Marques
|
Bio: Suzanne Marques is a general assignment reporter for FOX 11 News.
Prior to coming to FOX 11, Suzanne was in Atlanta, Georgia at WXIA. She was awarded her first Emmy in 2005 for Team Coverage of the Barton Corbin Arrest. While in Atlanta, she formally adopted “y’all” as one of her favorite slang terms.
Suzanne has worked up and down California. She was on-air at KGET in Bakersfield. She enjoyed learning about California’s heartland – from its ties to the Grapes of Wrath, to the history created by late civil rights leader
Cesar Chavez.
Suzanne’s first on-air job was at KIEM in Eureka, where she was a one-man-band. In other words, she shot, wrote, edited, and presented all of her stories – both as a reporter and anchor.
Suzanne’s first job in news was online. As web producer at KNBC, she was awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award in 2000 for website content. She also received the 2000 and 2001 AP Awards for best website content in California/Nevada.
Suzanne is a native Southern Californian, and words can’t say how happy she is to be back home. She was born and raised in Downey, where she attended Downey High - go Vikings! She’s also a proud Trojan; she graduated from the University of Southern California.
Born to a Mexican-Portuguese father and Scots-Irish and German mother, Suzanne values her rich heritage. She is a member of The National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
When she’s not watching or reporting the news, Suzanne loves reading fiction, window-shopping, eating junk food, and spending time with her family and friends.
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three cats.
ATVN positions and duties: Sometimes newswriter… if I can even take that title. I barely got my feet wet at ATVN, but it was the first time I set foot in a newsroom and I loved it!
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
It taught me the big difference between print and on-air writing… though some of my print-like scripts made it into ATVN newscasts! 
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
If you really want to be on-air, just go for it. Lots of people encouraged me to be a producer while I was in school, telling me there are so many unfilled producer jobs and so few on-air positions. In the end, go for your dream, not someone else’s idea of what it should be.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
Get ready to move away from friends and family, because most jobs are not in Southern California. In the meantime practice writing. Learn from the pros. Everyone learns from experience, but mentors will open your mind so much more.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
When I was hired for my first news job as web producer at KNBC, I didn’t focus on the fact I was a new graduate. I focused on the strengths I learned at USC… the latest developments in online journalism, my knowledge of new programs and styles, I showed my boss I was up on the latest technology and would bring a fresh view to the job. I beat other people with much more experience than me. Plus, there’s always a little luck if you ask me.
What prepared you most for your current job?
Mentors and hard work.
Class of
2001
Bio: I started anchoring and reporting at ATVN my freshman year at USC in 1998, which was also the start-up year for the program. When I graduated in December of 2001, I thought I would be applying for jobs for a while, but within a month I landed a position as a general assignment reporter at KAMR-NBC4 in Amarillo, Market 128. It was a great experience. I was going live almost every day. Within eight months, I was promoted to the night-side position and was able to gather some great material for my second resume tape. Within a year I was asked to join the ABC 30 Action News team in Fresno. This station is owned and operated by the ABC Network and also works closely with its sister stations in San Francisco and Los Angeles. I hope to be in San Francisco within a couple of years, and from there, who knows where life will take me!
ATVN positions and duties: Anchor, reporter, producer
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN taught me how to deal with deadlines, edit and write a story from start to finish.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1. How to enterprise - Your first job will usually be in a small market and that means almost every day is a slow news day. 2. How to build contacts - Developing good relations with community leaders, administrators and commissioners will always make it easier to get the story. 3. How to write clearly, concisely, and under deadline - There will be times when you have just twenty minutes to write a story or ten minutes to write a live shot. This is probably the most important skill to learn.
What prepared you most for your current job?
Shadowing local reporters during an internship at KABC in Los Angeles prepared me to deal with deadlines, write a story and put together a live shot.
Class of
2005
Bio: I graduated from USC with a BA in Broadcast Journalism. I interned at CNN Los Angeles and KABC (twice) prior to landing my first on-air job for a CBS affiliate in Bozeman Montana. I moved to KPSP the CBS affiliate in Thousand Palms.
ATVN positions and duties: Reporter
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN was the real deal, the hands on experience I received helped me make a smooth transition.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
For all of those who believe in themselves remember anything you want you can accomplish. You will definitely come across some roadblocks, but don’t get discouraged. If you really want something you will get it.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
First and foremost make sure you practice your writing. Secondly, learn how to operate a camera, and lastly know the basics of producing a newscast. With these tools you’ll be set to go.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Research the city you’ll be living in. See if the money they are offering you is enough to pay your rent. Remember, your fist job is your foot in the door, there’s hardly any negotiating. However, when reviewing the contract see if they’re willing to offer you any relocation money (take what you can get). Asking is free, but keep in mind that there are thousands who want your job.
What prepared you most for your current job?
Knowing the ins and outs of a newsroom operation. Being able to generate story ideas and knowing what is expected from you as a reporter. Also having knowledge of current events was pretty helpful.
Class of
2003
Bio: I didn’t go straight into a job after finishing USC. I did a master’s in London for a year and then spent another year applying to every news organisation in the UK and elsewhere. But I wasn’t getting any interviews. I interned at NBC News for 5 months and got very good feedback. But they only offered me a job in the tape library and I turned them down. So I took a much-needed break and started applying again. Any of you thinking of working outside the US, be aware that most people have never heard of USC and a degree in broadcast journalism does not count for much. Still, with a little luck, I found this job with AFP in Vienna. I never thought I would work for the wires but in a roundabout way I found exactly the job I was looking for.
ATVN positions and duties: Producer, reporter, writer, weather anchor, camera operator
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
Simply put, I learned to write. Under deadline.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Be flexible and don’t be afraid to wait for the right job (if you can afford it).
What prepared you most for your current job?
Simply put, I learned to write. Under deadline.
Class of
2006
Bio: I help plan Decision 2008 coverage for NBC News.
ATVN positions and duties: Executive Producer, Producer, Director, Technical Director, Reporter, Graduate Assistant
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
My knowledge of iNews and Avid has helped a lot. Many people who have been entrenched in the system don’t really know how iNews works because no one ever sat them down and taught them. Though I’m not allowed to edit here (because of union rules) the fact that I understand Avid and I can sit down with an editor and tell them exactly what I want makes them respect me more.
Also interviewing skills that I honed at ATVN (and Impact) have been invaluable. Even though I’m not a producer (yet), I’ve gotten sent out to other parts of the country to do interviews and knowing how to make someone comfortable and get the needed bites under a deadline has come in handy. (By the way, when you have a professional cameraman, making the interview look good is WAY easier.)
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Don’t get discouraged, especially in the network world. Everyone starts off with a job where you’re not doing what you feel you are capable of. The key to it is to try to impress everyone with your enthusiasm and/or thoroughness. While you are impressing everyone with your enthusiasm and/or thoroughness, make sure you get to know all those people’s names. When a position opens up, you want people to think about you for it.
Also have a plan. I went into the News Associates program at NBC with a couple of clear goals. One of them being, “do a rotation in DC.” From the first week everyone knew I liked politics and I wanted to be in DC and now I’m working for Meet the Press. Now that I’m here I’m letting everyone know that I want to help cover the 2008 campaign. I’m meeting people and I’m making quite the nuisance of myself. In a good way I hope.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1. Writing of all kinds. Don’t forget that the Internet exists and every news program is going to have you writing stories, emails to listservs, copy for the website and blogs. I recently got an email that everyone at all levels ( P.A. to Executive Producer) of the Today Show are going to be expected to blog about the show at any given time.
2. Knowing different ways to research and find stories. Pitching is a way to get noticed. The Senior Producers know you exist when you’re sending them emails with well-thought out and well-written pitches. I don’t even work for Nightly News but I’ve pitched multiple stories and while none of them have been done, I always get an email back saying they are impressed with how well-written the pitch was.
3. Not just sucking up, but knowing who to suck up to.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Read the contract carefully and make sure it’s situation you can deal with for the time frame they’re asking for.
What prepared you most for your current job?
ATVN throws you into journalism. A couple of weeks of training and then get out with a camera and a mic and get the interview. Not being scared of just jumping into a situation was probably the best preparation for the multitude of tasks I’ve already been asked to do.
Class of
2008
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Shawn Chitnis
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ATVN positions and duties: Executive Producer, Producer, Anchor, Reporter
Class of
2001
Bio: Missouri correspondent, Kansas City Star, 2001-2003
ATVN positions and duties: Reporter, Producer, Executive producer, 1999-2001
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
Learning how to write accurately, clearly, concisely—and fast.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Your first job—and even your second and third jobs—aren’t your last jobs. Don’t be afraid to go someplace new.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1. Writing
2. Writing
3. Writing (as a college student you don’t realize what a rare skill this is, even in major companies)
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 be shy about asking for more money. The worst they can do is say no. And don’t undersell yourself. The ATVN mafia’s reputation is strong and growing.
Class of
2000
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Seth Doane
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Bio: Seth Doane joins CBS News as a New York-based correspondent, effective Aug. 13, 2007. He will contribute to all CBS News broadcasts.
Most recently, Seth was the New Delhi-based correspondent for CNN International (2006-07), responsible for coverage of India and South Asia. He covered a wide range of stories from there including reports from the brothels of Delhi, from remote villages of Nepal, where children are sold into slavery, and from the Maldives, threatened by global climate change.
Seth is one of the most impressive young reporters working today. He is distinctive, has great journalistic skills and, as his resume attests, has the drive to have a real impact on this profession. Seth further strengthens what has developed into a very strong corps of “next generation” CBS News correspondents.
Seth brings other significant international experience from more than five years as an anchor and correspondent for Channel One News (2001-06), the in-school television news broadcast watched daily by almost 8 million U.S. teenagers. He covered stories from Iraq, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Senegal, the Philippines, Kuwait, Jordan, Russia and many other countries for the channel.
Seth received a George Foster Peabody award in 2004 for his solo trip to Chad and Darfur, where he reported on the humanitarian crisis, traveling alone and shooting, producing and reporting while living in a tent.
Before that, he was a field producer for the special projects unit for Fox 5 WNYW-TV (2000-01) in New York. While there, Seth was nominated for a local Emmy Award in the “investigative” category for a report he produced on school security — at the age of 22.
He was graduated from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California in 2000 with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Seth was born and raised on Cape Cod, Mass.
ATVN positions and duties: Assignment Editor, Reporter, Anchor
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
More than anything else, you should care about the news and read the paper everyday. Internships can really help you prepare to work and help you meet the right people.
Class of
2004
Bio: After graduation I took a job as an assignment editor in Yuma. Had no intention of being one but was promised a reporting job later. Put my time in, became a producer then a reporter.
I was bureau chief of the Imperial Valley newsroom there for two years. Spent a total of more than three years at the station. Moved to Tucson in August of 2008. Got engaged just before that. You might have seen it on air. I did it live in El Centro. There’s a link to it below. I cried...aww.
Anyways, loving the new job. News is awesome!
Awards: Best Enterprise News from the AP.
2nd Place for spot news reporting by the AP.
ATVN positions and duties: I barely did anything at ATVN. I did cameras and made graphics.
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
It gave me a better idea of the daily news crunch.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Just get out there and do it. Everyone has their own path. Don’t try to follow identically in someone else’s footsteps. Just do what you like and you’ll be successful.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
1. Writing
2. Story Presentation
3. Get Real People
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
If you don’t want it someone else does. Don’t just get your foot in the door, kick the thing down.
What prepared you most for your current job?
The CORE Classes. I hated them when I was there, but they sure taught me a lot of things I wouldn’t have learned otherwise
Class of
2005
Bio: I’m Scott Lembke, 2-time ATVN Executive Producer. My first job after graduation was working as a production assistant for ESPN Hollywood, a daily sports and entertainment show on ESPN2. Thanks to my experience at ATVN I wasn’t just your average PA. I shot and co-produced dozens of stories across the city as well as a couple out of state. I also got to write a few segments that made it on air. Heck, my experience as an anchor even got me consideration as a co-host for the show. Ultimately, however, that show got cancelled in January 2006, leaving me to pursue other oppotunities in sports tv production. Which brings me to where I am today: Associate Sports Producer for GoTV Networks. What is GoTV, you ask? Well, GoTV is the leader in made-for-mobile programming, which is a fancy way of saying “stuff you can watch on your cell phone.” I produce and host 3-minute shows centered around professional and college sports that people can watch anytime, anywhere in the palm of their hand. They include news updates, game highlights, player profiles, trivia and a whole lot of other stuff. Right now we’re available on major carriers like Verizon, Sprint and Cingular/AT&T but eventually we’re hoping to be on every carrier nation-wide. To find out more about GoTV, check us out on www.gotvnetworks.com.
ATVN positions and duties: Executive Producer, news anchor, reporter, studio camera operator, assistant sports producer, feature sports producer/reporter
Class of
2006
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Scott Kegley
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ATVN positions and duties: Executive Producer, Sports Anchor, Weather Anchor, Producer, Reporter, Assistant Director, Camera Operator
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
ATVN gave me a great foundation in broadcast writing, facilitated my creativity, and provided me with valuable leadership experience.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
Be patient. You’re not going to land your dream job right after college. Take everything step by step and if you keep working hard and be patient, you’re going to be successful.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
People skills - it’s vital to be a valuable contributor in the ATVN news room. No matter what job you have, you have to work well with others, being able to lead as well as follow. Writing - know how to write for print, online and broadcast. You’ll appreciate having all of those skills. Learn how to do everything - ok, that’s vague. What I mean is try to be a jack of all trades in the newsroom. The broader your skill set, the more marketable you will be. You might end up getting a job in a somewhat related field or doing something you initially didn’t envision. Journalism skills and the technical skills associated with it are valuable assets in all communications fields.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
The most important thing is to get your foot in the door and meet people. I wouldn’t worry about negotiation right away. Obviously, you don’t want to put yourself in a negative situation. Just make sure you’re doing what you want to be doing and work hard at it.
What prepared you most for your current job?
In addition to my four years at ATVN, I also worked 3 years for the USC Athletic Video Department. By having access to the teams, players and coaches in a variety of ways, I learned what it was like to work for a sports team and how to interact with all personnel. When I started my first job with the San Francisco 49ers, I already knew what to expect. Obviously, the NFL is much more professional in terms of the entire operation, but I went in there with a good basic understanding of how things worked. I also had all the technical skills and journalism skill which allowed me to report, edit and write for our website and Gameday publication.
Class of
1999
Bio: Scott Bemis comes to us from Newport Beach, California. There, about the time he started walking, Scott became fascinated with everything and anything having to do with the world of sports, and that passion is still prevalent today.
By the time he entered high school, Scott realized the NBA wasn’t interested in 5’9” guys who couldn’t jump, so he figured the next best thing would be to make a career out of sports broadcasting
Upon graduation from high school, Scott enrolled at USC. His parents met as undergrads at the school, and their passion for the University had been passed on to their middle child. While at USC, he was involved with the campus newspaper, radio, and television stations. He eventually graduated in 1998 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, and readied himself for the next chapter in his life.
A couple months later, Scott landed a job with the national end of Fox Sports Net in Los Angeles, and work-wise, that’s where he would call home for the next nine years. He eventually worked his way up from Production Assistant, to Associate Producer, to Feature Producer at FSN. During this period, Scott had the opportunity to help with the network’s on-site coverage of the 2002 Final Four, and the 2003 Masters and U.S. Open. In his last year at FSN, he worked for the network’s flagship show, the Best Damn Sports Show Period, where among other things, he produced the top 50 specialty shows, The 50 Most Spectacular Baseball Plays and The 50 Most Inspirational Sports Moments.
Near the tail end of his time at FSN, Scott realized he wanted to make a transition to the other side of the camera, and when the opportunity at localnews8 presented itself, he jumped on it. Scott is excited to be a part of the Southeast Idaho community, and is looking forward to some sweet powder days up in the mountains, as well as some great days out on the golf courses. He would love to hear about any story ideas you might have, or would just love to talk sports with you (especially if it involves his Trojans!).
Class of
2001
Class of
2005
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Sarah Amos
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ATVN positions and duties: Graphics, Writer, Shooter, Editor, Producer, EP
How did ATVN prepare you for your current job?
Pretty much everything I did at ATVN has in some way helped me at ABC. My ability to shoot, edit, book interviews, write scripts and plan shoots all are based in the jobs and projects I was apart of at ATVN. Understanding the importance of deadlines is so key, and working on a live broadcast at ATVN drilled that into me more than anything else in college. ATVN gave me the confidence you need in your job and the skills to back it up.
What is your advice to aspiring journalists?
The best advice I can offer is to work hard, volunteer for everything and anything (no matter how small the project, hands-on experience is priceless) and have a great attitude. Your first job isn’t going to be your dream job, but if you have a great attitude and work hard it will pay off more than you probably realize.
What are the top three skills college journalism students should be working on in order to be prepared for their first broadcasting job?
Here are my top four…
Covering EVERY angle and side of a story, there is nothing worse than gathering elements and soundbites for a story and missing a key part
Being organized. Make lists, learn to be prepared for things before a problem can even arise or your boss even asks you a question.
Know the news, read every paper and magazine you can. If you don’t know the what is going on in the world you are in serious trouble.
Writing, I know everyone says this, but it is true, a good writer will always be in demand.
What is the most important thing a college journalist should know when he or she is trying to negotiate his or her first job?
Starting at a network as a PA there isn’t much negotiating to be done, but I can say that when deciding your first job go with your gut. If your gut says you want to try being a reporter, or really want hands on production experience right out of school, focus on local stations. If you aren’t the small town type, or feel you are better working up a ladder, look at larger markets and the networks. Go with what is going to make you the happiest, not what you think is the “right” choice.
What prepared you most for your current job?
Everything I did at ATVN, from line producing, to shooting, to making phone calls helped me get where I am now. Every time I worked on a show I learned a lesson and without those I would have left college clueless.
Class of
2006
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Sara Williams
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ATVN positions and duties: Producer, Director
Class of
2007
ATVN positions and duties: Executive Producer, Producer, Reporter, Anchor, W/S/E
Class of
2007
Class of
2008
Bio: Sam Farber is an anchor for 1590 KLIV in San Jose, CA. He currently anchors the late evening weekday news and mid-day weekend news. He also works as a live reporter, writer, editor and producer.
Sam received his Masters degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California in May 2008. Upon graduation he was awarded the Director’s Award for Excellence. He also has a BA from The George Washington University, where he graduated with Cum Laude honors in 2006.
Sam has been a play-by-play annou | 
