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Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism University of Southern California
ALUMNI

Eli Roberts

Class of 2005, Bachelor's



Economics Correspondent

I anchor and cover the economics beat for Channel One in Israel - one of the country’s three TV networks.  It’s great experience as news in the Middle East is truly hard news.  Before, I served in the Israeli Military, and anchored/reported at KFYR in Bismarck, ND the year before.

Survey

What are the top three skills journalism students should learn in college?:

Network, pick a job and stick with it, and don’t forget to have fun.  After all, having fun is really what being at the heart of action is all about!  That’s why I’m a journalist.
Something else: In the beginning, I think it’s easy to freak out when you get a story assignment that is challenging to tell in an interesting fashion, ie a conference, meeting or something without good cutaway video.  But it’s good to just take a step back, think about what makes the conference - or whatever story it is - interesting to the people you’re covering, and let them define your angle.  Use them for interviews, and then do a story on the actual issue they’re talking about rather than the meeting they attended.  Don’t go into a story with an unchangable idea as to what the final product should look like.



What were your duties at ATVN? :

teleprompter, anchor, reporter



How did ATVN prepare you for your career?:

ATVN is hands-on.  You have deadlines, and do what it takes to get your story on the air.  Producing quality work fast is really the main point of any job in broadcasting.  ATVN requires that skill.



What is your advice to aspiring journalists?:

I listen to the advice of others first.  Maybe that’s a skill a journalist needs.  To listen first, talk after.



What should graduates keep in mind when negotiating their first job?:

Take any job you can get.  Hopefully it’s in a nice place like Montana where you can ski.  And if it’s not, don’t become an alcoholic just because you’re an Angeleno living in North Dakota. 

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