This post was updated on January 23, 2017.
My adviser, Dr. Jeff Harman, knew I needed an internship so I could get enough credits to graduate early. So he suggested that I talk to WHIZ Assistant Production Manager, Jonathan Williams about interning with Commercial Production team. I set up an interview with Williams and the Production Manager, Ryan Bradford, and got the position. I organized their older films, helped on commercial shoots, and assisted in editing commercials.
I had so much fun working with everyone, it hardly felt like work. Towards the end of my internship, Bradford had an opening for a part time Production Assistant. He asked me to apply and interview for the position along with some other people. I got the position and started training for it that last week of my internship.
During my senior semester I worked part time at WHIZ as the Production Assistant, which meant I was the floor director during the evening news and the weekend director. About a week after graduation I went into direct and one of the videographers told me his position would be available and that I should apply. I scheduled an interview two days later with our News Director and officially became a full time videographer for WHIZ in Zanesville on December 29, just ten days after graduating. Since then I have been filming for stories, editing my footage, and sending it in to air on our evening newscasts. I also work as a Multi-Media Journalist (MMJ) whenever a reporter cannot come into work. That means I will interview, write the story, and publish it online as well as do my own videography work.
I learned how to be a multi-media journalist through being in Orbit Media. I was assigned a weekly story where I needed to set up interviews, record the interviews and b-roll (filler footage) for TV, write three different versions of the stories for The Black & Magenta, WMCO, and Orbit Television, cut audio for the radio versions, and edit […] for TV. Orbit Media helped me to be well rounded as a person and a worker. Since I already knew how to MMJ, my WHIZ News Director trusts me to MMJ whenever he needs someone to fill in. This, in turn, will help me find a job after WHIZ because stations look to hire well-rounded workers.
Karysa Kent, a junior communication major from Warsaw, Ohio, chose Muskingum after researching and “[falling] in love with their creative programs in media.” The opportunity to have hands-on experience beginning in her freshman year was valuable for Karysa, who was already looking down the road to her goal of becoming a broadcaster.
“I started Orbit Television and The Black & Magenta the first semester my freshman year and I was so happy that I was able to walk in and start up immediately! Then I started WMCO radio training fall semester of my sophomore year and had my first show the following semester.”
Karysa’s interest in journalism – particularly investigative journalism – began with a class she took in high school. She chose Muskingum because she felt it was a good place to pursue her dream, and that initially motivated her involvement in the Communication and Journalism Departments. However, Karysa now says, “The reason I got involved was because of my dream of being an investigative reporter, but the reason I stayed involved was because the professors and students that I work with daily made me feel accepted. I love having this creative learning experience and feeling comfortable [asking questions of] the staff members and [other] students.”
Karysa enjoys all journalistic mediums but can’t select a favorite. She enjoys different aspects of each one: “I like all three…mediums [newspaper, radio and television] for different reasons. For the B&M, I like that I can report and collect information to create a story. I like going out and getting the pictures, video and, audio to bring someone’s story to life and then hopefully that person can feel proud of them self and feel like they matter. For Orbit TV, I love getting in front of the camera, reporting on events and news that people are wanting to know more about. I also like editing video footage to create a way for people to see how events went and recreate the atmosphere from that event. With WMCO, I love having control over my own show. I like playing the music of my choice, choosing what news I want to read, and what personal segment I want to share with the listeners.”
In addition to working as a television anchor and radio DJ, Karysa serves as treasurer of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and works as a Residence Assistant (RA).