Newhouse Master’s Program: Television, Radio and Film
Current Position: Content Producer at WSET-ABC13
This was my first job after getting my master’s degree and before that, I was a development intern at American High and Alta Global Media.
I get to work at 2:30 in the afternoon and check my emails to see what stories the reporters were assigned to for the day, check for breaking news and any big national stories I need to follow. Then I get ready for our afternoon meeting. This is where we discuss the reporter’s stories in more detail and come up with backups for them in case their story does not pan out or we need to put it on hold for the day. We also lay out the plan for our late newscast during the meeting. I produce two shows, the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. My job is to make sure the shows are as clean as possible. To make sure we start and end on time and put out any fires that may happen. After I finish the 6 p.m. newscast, I prepare my rundown for the 11 p.m. and take a dinner break. Then it’s kind of the same as when I first get to work, we have another meeting and discuss if there are any changes we need to make. Then I get ready to produce the 11 p.m. newscast.
The beauty of Newhouse is that they offer you ways to really see what the industry is like, so when you enter it’s less of a shell shock. Through Newhouse, I learned time management (which is very important) and creating a schedule (it really helps you to stay on track) and I think the courses at Newhouse are a great pre-introduction if you will to the industry.
When I first entered Newhouse, I had a limited view of creative language and thought screenwriting was the sole avenue for its expression. However, my experience in various courses and group projects introduced me to diverse writing forms that demand just as much creativity, such as magazine articles and news stories. Newhouse has truly expanded my horizons, showing that having a specific skill in mind upon entry can open the door to a world of unexpected possibilities.
The sense of collaboration is what cemented my choice to join the television, radio and film program. It was wonderful not only to see my own ideas come to life but others as well.
The Career Development Center was a tremendous help with perfecting my resume. If you haven’t gone by the center yet I would definitely recommend it.
In television, things rarely go perfectly. You have to have the ability to pivot and stay somewhat calm. And when things go wrong, and they will, don’t get too hung-up on your mistakes. Luckily, this is one of the few careers where you can start each day with a clean slate.
I think the whole process of putting something together and then watching it come to life has been so great. I look at my job as a way of storytelling and I’m always eager to tell the next one.
Be open and willing to learn and embrace group projects. You never know what new skill you might pick up or what new journey it might put you on. If you have the opportunity, take any of Dr. Kelly Leahy’s courses. She is brilliant and will push you to think in ways you haven’t before.