1. CBS - WBNS -- HIGHLIGHTS
MANAGERIAL – COLLABORATIVE – SKILLED NEGOTIATOR
I played a pivotal role in organizing a newsroom summit so that producers, reporters and
management could be on the same page when broadcasting breaking news of police standoffs,
hostage crises, bomb threats and other civil emergencies. This meeting took place in response
to complaints from emergency responders that the media may have compromised police rescue
efforts by broadcasting its maneuvers, logistics and tactics. The end result was news coverage
that maintained a sense of urgency -- but arguably better protected those at-risk.
DEDICATED - CONSCIENTIOUS – TEAM PLAYER
I consistently was available to assist managers and producers whether or not I was the “on call”
reporter on a given night. During the holiday seasons, I worked long stints so that other
reporters could take year-end vacations or work on story development matters. This allowed
the station to gear up for sweeps far in advance of the competition – further distinguishing
WBNS from its competitors.
CHARACTER – COMMUNICATION – ETHICS
I understood the importance of being “right” trumped the urge to report it “first.” With that in
mind, I consistently double-checked sources, contentand communications to insure that the
station did not slander or libel citizens or public officials -- or report prematurely on the death
or demise of those injured before next of kin notifications. I valued the public service
component of reporting and encouraged local high school and university students to consider
careers in journalism.
SKILLS – PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - CONTEXT - CLARITY
With practice and dedication, I vastly improved my live and breaking news reporting skills:
conveying the urgency of the situation -- while engaging viewers with my observations of what
was happening at a given time. I became increasingly comfortable producing multiple stories a
day under very tight deadlines, without sacrificing context or clarity.