Become a media mogul

If you’re considering a career in broadcasting, journalism or public relations, you may be planning on be-coming a TV anchor, radio DJ or news-paper reporter. In today’s job market, a degree in radio, TV or journalism can lead in plenty of directions.

Print journalism
Consider Raoul Hernandez, music editor of the Austin Chronicle, an alternative weekly paper in Texas. “I wanted to be a writer from the time I read Where The Wild Things Are,” recalls Hernandez. After a stint at a radio news station and a media buying firm, Hernandez, who majored in English as an undergrad, enrolled in graduate school at Stanford while working part-time at the San Francisco Examiner. He landed a fellowship in journalism at Stanford, with veterans of the San Jose Mercury-News as instructors. (“They were like Marine drill sergeants,” he says.) A move to San Antonio found him reviewing Hispanic theater at the San Antonio Light and free-lancing at the Austin Chronicle. His regular column at the Chronicle eventually led to the editor’s desk at the paper, where he’s in charge of assigning feature stories, profiles, CD and live-music reviews, keeping track of writers and having the final say on every operational and editorial aspect of the paper’s music department. He also works with the paper’s art department, photographers and staff artists in laying out the graphic design of stories and serves as the final gatekeeper on each story. “I see no end in sight for me doing this job,” Hernandez says. “I’ve loved newspapers from the fifth grade on. I’m both a writer and an editor. It’s all hands-on in getting the newspaper out.”

Broadcasting opportunities
After Cheri Preston graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, she parlayed her student radio experience into the radio director’s job at a tiny station in Rantoul, Ill. Soon, she was working as news director at a larger station. Her next stop on the career ladder was a station in Milwaukee, for which she worked as morning news anchor. Her hard work and excellent record as a journalist landed Preston a position at ABC Network News in New York City, where she does news updates at the top of the hour for ABC-affiliate stations. At ABC News, Preston arrives two hours before her on-air shift to cull news items from various sources, go through the tape file for sound bites then write the stories for broadcast. Newscasts are typically three to five minutes long at the top of every hour with one-minute spots for the half-past marks. Leslie Nichols, an associate producer at PBS’ acclaimed Austin City Limits series, has also turned her media education into into an interesting career. After graduating from University of Texas-Austin with a bachelor’s in radio and TV in l990, Nichols went to Houston and worked as a production assistant at a film production company. Then, she worked her way up the corporate ladder at an Austin television station from administrative secretary to associate producer. Her position gives her responsibility for many of the technical aspects of the show, as well as the chance to meet many of the show’s guests. She is the point person for catering, travel arrangements, accommodations, contractual details and every other administrative aspect of an artist’s appearance on the show. “I never even dreamed that I would become a producer,” Nichols says. “There were a lot of people with much more production experience than I had at the time, but I think my attitude and work ethic were key in earning this job. You never know who’s observing your work or where and when opportunities will come!” Armed with a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting or journalism, you’ll find many opportunities in print, broadcast or electronic media.

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