Alumni: Jamie Hersch

Jamie Hersch

Class of 2009, Bachelor's

Studio Host
Reporter

NHL Network
New York, NY
Market Rank 1

Jamie Hersch, a versatile journalist with a passion for sports and storytelling, is currently a studio host for NHL Network, typically seen on the network's "On The Fly" nightly highlight and postgame recap show based out of Secaucus, NJ.

Before joining NHL Network in September 2015, Hersch worked for FOX Sports North as a host and reporter in her home town of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hersch spent three seasons hosting the pregame and postgame shows for the Minnesota Wild broadcasts, including extensive coverage of the Wild’s playoff runs of 2013-15.

The highlight of her time covering hockey came in January 2015, when she went all the way to Kuwait to cover several former NHL players who brought hockey to the American troops serving overseas. They spent several days living at Camp Buehring with the soldiers while running hockey skills clinics and playing floor hockey games on the base. Her coverage earned Hersch an Emmy Award.

Hersch also spent three seasons as the primary sideline reporter for the Minnesota Twins with FOX Sports North, and appeared several times on MLB Network’s The Rundown. She covered hockey, football and basketball games for Big Ten Network, as well.

Hersch attended the University of Southern California, where she graduated magna cum laude. While at USC, Jamie covered Trojan athletics extensively. Her work at USC’s prestigious Annenberg TV News station earned Hersch a third place finish in the National Hearst Journalism Awards competition. Hersch also earned an award from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association for her sports reporting at WKOW-TV in Madison, Wis., as a sports anchor and reporter.

Survey

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

1) Writing. You should know how to write well, and if you don’t, pick the brains of your broadcast professors. One wise professor once assured me that as long as I could write, I would always have a job. I believe that’s true.

2) Day-of-air reporting. Having the intense stress of a deadline and learning how to manage your time is essential to feeling prepared for your first reporting job. Make sure if you want to be a reporter that you volunteer to report for ATVN at least one semester. You’ll need to know that you can do an entire story by yourself in an 8-hour shift, because once you get to your first job, you’ll have far less time to produce MORE content!

3) Be a story-hunter. Learn how to come up with story ideas in new and different ways. One of the biggest pressures I face in my job is coming up with good, fresh story ideas every day. If you can get into the habit of being a story-hunter now, making the transition into your first job will be easier.

What were your duties at ATVN? :

News Anchor, Reporter, Producer, Weather Anchor, Sports reporter

How did ATVN prepare you for your career?:

ATVN was like my first job. Because of the experience I got at ATVN through day-of-air reporting, anchoring, live-shots, and web training, I was able to jump right into my first job feeling much more prepared than the “average college grad.”

I convinced my boss that while I was young, I had three years of experience working with programs like iNews and Avid Newscutter, all because of ATVN.

I felt comfortable jumping into a one-man band position with lots of blogging and posting to the web primarily because I had so much experience under my belt from ATVN.

What is your advice to aspiring journalists?:

As Arnold Schwarzenegger advised during the 2009 commencement speech, “Work your butt off.” And don’t wait to do so until after you’ve graduated. Soak up all the experience you can at ATVN, and network with alumni early on in your job search.

Know that when you land your first job, you will have a lot to prove. Be excited to work hard, and you will earn people’s respect.

Also, never underestimate the power of having a positive attitude. It makes others want to work with you, and it’s more difficult for your co-workers to think badly of you when you are relentlessly positive and upbeat.

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

You have to believe in yourself and your abilities, or the person who’s looking to hire you could take advantage of you. Know your talents and skills and be able to rattle them off to your potential boss. Exude confidence and you’ll convince them that you’re worth an investment.

Fox Sports North: Jamie Hersch talks "Sandlot Day" at Target Field

WKOW-TV: Janesville Babe Ruth team wins state, makes incredible squeeze play