On Wednesday evening, “Investigating Broadcast Journalism: The Ins and Outs of TV News” marked another informative and inspiring event for WIC members. Matt Lopez, a webcast editor and assistant producer for ABC’s 20/20 and Primetime, and Sandra Temko, a producer for ABC’s Weekend Good Morning America, spoke about how they landed jobs in broadcast news, what they love about their work, and what challenges they face. Audience members gained an inside understanding of what it’s like to be young and successful in world of television broadcasting.
Matt Lopez had a very unusual start to his career. His past jobs 
include working as a character in Disney World, working as mascot for the New England Patriots, and hip-hop dancing in New York City clubs. Matt later interned at 20/20 and was contacted several months later when an entry-level job opened up at ABC. Matt brought in camera equipment to show WIC members and also explained the logistics of hidden camera pieces. He explained that being able to operate a camera is a huge plus if you want to work in the industry. The moral of Matt’s story: It’s all about who you know in the industry. Strive to go above and beyond everyday at your internship, because you never know who will see you work. Persistence is key.
Sandra Temko, a graduate of Columbia, has worked at ABC for over 10 years and at just about every news show on the network. She started out as an intern for an ABC news affiliate in France. She loves that her job often involves traveling and meeting people and explained there is no “typical day” in the news industry. Sandra demonstrated that a good producer is always looking for inspiration for her next story. The piece she brought in to show us about Chuck Norris was inspired by a phone conversation with her sister, who told her she had seen a Chuck Norris quote on a bathroom stall in Iraq. Sandra firmly believes that women are assets in the news industry; because women are believed to control the television and pocketbooks (or credit cards) in American homes, knowing what women are interested in gives female journalists an advantage.
And what did WIC members think? CAS Junior Paulina Bucko reveals, “In listening to Matt and Sandra speak about their careers, I realized that with hard work and a little bit of luck that I could be in their positions some day. I know that I want to work in broadcast news and listening to their stories help me see that I have the ability to do so. Everyone has to makes their own decisions and take their own path. In realizing that, I have a little bit more confidence in knowing that I’m making the right choices.”
Once again, WIC facilitated making dreams become reality with its successful event. Thank you to our speakers and to everyone who attended.
(Think a career in TV news might be for you? Then we have some good news: ABC is now offering paid internships! Go to http://www.disneycareers.com for more information.)
– Tiffany Engsell
Lit Up 
