Advanced television production students in Wired and Sports Media visited WJXT Channel 4 Studios on October 25th. They took part in the second annual Broadcast Journalism Workshop, hosted by The Local Station. The station’s Vice President and General Manager, Bob Ellis, spearheaded the event, and spent time speaking with the students about the many different departments that make up WJXT, and how he got interested in working in broadcast television. Then the kids headed down to Studio B, where they met up with News Director Kathryn Bonfield and reporter Heather Leigh. In the hour-long session, students learned how to improve their news stories through better writing, stronger stand-ups, and more professional on-camera presence. With newfound knowledge in hand, the students had the chance to watch the live noon news broadcast. They got to spend time in the studio and watch the show being produced from outside the control room. The tour ended with a trip through the newsroom, and then back upstairs for a lunch catered by WJXT, which featured guest speakers from different departments in the newsroom. The workshop was a huge success, providing students with new insight into potential careers in broadcast journalism, and giving them tips and tricks that they can start using in their Advanced TV Production classes right now.
