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.
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