KSC-TV Alumni
KSC-TV alumni go on to work all across the nation as broadcast journalists and media professionals. Here's a look at what our alumni are doing now.
Becky Farr
Multimedia Journalist
KX News (CBS) Minot, ND
What I'm doing now:
As a multimedia journalist, I shoot, write and edit all of my own stories. Those stories are ideas that I come up with myself. The station where I work is a regional station. We cover the western part of North Dakota. Our newscast comes out of Bismarck, which is the biggest newsroom with 6 reporters, and I work at the Minot bureau with 3 other reporters. We also have one reporter in Williston and one Dickinson. Working at a regional station, the goal is always 'local, local, local,' but at the same time, we're making that local news relevant across the whole region. We do our best to do that by telling our stories through characters - humanizing our stories - rather than only speaking with officials.
It's worth mentioning that I report on our morning show. I wake up at 4 a.m. and report on "Good Day Dakota" from 5-7 a.m. Monday through Friday. I am also the same girl who relied on several alarms to get me up for class at noon at KSC. Oh, how things change!
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
KSC Journalism and KSC-TV is truly what got me to where I am today. After college I spent nearly two years in Connecticut, my home state, where I worked as a production tech at FOX61. I was qualified for that job because of the responsibilities we shared in KSC-TV, like running the prompter, the audio board, tech and floor directing. Spending that time watching the reporters pushed me to fulfill my dream and to apply for MMJ (multimedia journalist) jobs across the country.
Using my packages from KSC-TV, I tacked those on the end of a reel. The beginning of the reel consisted of practice stand ups that I was fortunate enough to shoot with the help of FOX61, only because my reel was almost two years old by then. My writing and editing skills all came from KSC. From Dr. Rose Kundanis' and Dr. Marianne Salcetti's teachings on how to prioritize information, to Dr. Nye's script exchange, to editing on my own time, to Dr. Mark Timney's ethics class, this all is what made me qualified for the job I hold now. I will never lose the value of what I learned in college.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at [email protected].
As a multimedia journalist, I shoot, write and edit all of my own stories. Those stories are ideas that I come up with myself. The station where I work is a regional station. We cover the western part of North Dakota. Our newscast comes out of Bismarck, which is the biggest newsroom with 6 reporters, and I work at the Minot bureau with 3 other reporters. We also have one reporter in Williston and one Dickinson. Working at a regional station, the goal is always 'local, local, local,' but at the same time, we're making that local news relevant across the whole region. We do our best to do that by telling our stories through characters - humanizing our stories - rather than only speaking with officials.
It's worth mentioning that I report on our morning show. I wake up at 4 a.m. and report on "Good Day Dakota" from 5-7 a.m. Monday through Friday. I am also the same girl who relied on several alarms to get me up for class at noon at KSC. Oh, how things change!
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
KSC Journalism and KSC-TV is truly what got me to where I am today. After college I spent nearly two years in Connecticut, my home state, where I worked as a production tech at FOX61. I was qualified for that job because of the responsibilities we shared in KSC-TV, like running the prompter, the audio board, tech and floor directing. Spending that time watching the reporters pushed me to fulfill my dream and to apply for MMJ (multimedia journalist) jobs across the country.
Using my packages from KSC-TV, I tacked those on the end of a reel. The beginning of the reel consisted of practice stand ups that I was fortunate enough to shoot with the help of FOX61, only because my reel was almost two years old by then. My writing and editing skills all came from KSC. From Dr. Rose Kundanis' and Dr. Marianne Salcetti's teachings on how to prioritize information, to Dr. Nye's script exchange, to editing on my own time, to Dr. Mark Timney's ethics class, this all is what made me qualified for the job I hold now. I will never lose the value of what I learned in college.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions at [email protected].
Kattey Ortiz
Digital Anchor/Producer
NEWS CENTER Maine WCSH-TV (NBC) Portland, ME
What I'm doing now:
My position at NEWS CENTER Maine is a unique one, but it's a testament to where TV news is headed. I produce and anchor a segment called “Social Stop” for our 5 p.m. newscast. I dive into topics relating to social media, tech, and digital news. I also act as an MMJ for the digital side of news, producing stories on looser deadlines with extra elements added to web stories. Sometimes they air, and sometimes they’re digital-exclusive. I’m constantly pushing out my content on social media, and at times, I handle the social media accounts for the station. Lastly, I fill-in on the anchor desk as needed.
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
My success in the industry would not be possible without the KSC-TV program at Keene State College. It’s where I learned not only the basics and the fundamentals of a newscast, but more importantly, it’s where I learned to tell stories in a meaningful way that is meant to inform instead of simply filling up a time slot. Before the program, I had no idea what a PKG or VO/SOT were, but they're two VERY important building blocks in broadcast news. I didn’t know how producers worked in tandem with technical directors or floor directors in a show. KSC-TV shows you all of these positions and much more. Many of my colleagues were very impressed with my prior knowledge and understanding of how a newsroom works when I was starting out in the business, and I owe that to the Journalism program and community at KSC.
My position at NEWS CENTER Maine is a unique one, but it's a testament to where TV news is headed. I produce and anchor a segment called “Social Stop” for our 5 p.m. newscast. I dive into topics relating to social media, tech, and digital news. I also act as an MMJ for the digital side of news, producing stories on looser deadlines with extra elements added to web stories. Sometimes they air, and sometimes they’re digital-exclusive. I’m constantly pushing out my content on social media, and at times, I handle the social media accounts for the station. Lastly, I fill-in on the anchor desk as needed.
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
My success in the industry would not be possible without the KSC-TV program at Keene State College. It’s where I learned not only the basics and the fundamentals of a newscast, but more importantly, it’s where I learned to tell stories in a meaningful way that is meant to inform instead of simply filling up a time slot. Before the program, I had no idea what a PKG or VO/SOT were, but they're two VERY important building blocks in broadcast news. I didn’t know how producers worked in tandem with technical directors or floor directors in a show. KSC-TV shows you all of these positions and much more. Many of my colleagues were very impressed with my prior knowledge and understanding of how a newsroom works when I was starting out in the business, and I owe that to the Journalism program and community at KSC.
Brian Schnee
News/Sports Anchor
KTVL (CBS) Medford, OR
What I'm doing now:
My role at KTVL News 10 involves multiple moving parts including anchoring three newscasts per day, shooting/producing/editing/writing a sports segment each night and providing a mentoring role to many of our reporters and producers. As a main anchor, I co-anchor our 5 & 6 p.m. newscasts Monday-Friday and solo-anchor our 11 p.m. newscast. In addition to my news anchor roles, I serve as our sports director, which allows me to shoot feature stories and cover local events. As always, my duties extend to the constant use of social media and publishing content on our website. My methods of doing journalism vary. In addition to sharing the news with our viewers, I’m able to branch out and shoot stories of my own that I’m passionate about.
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
KSC-TV spearheaded me forward in the world of journalism. I’m thankful for the resources I had at my fingertips while at Keene State College including alumni, my professors and hands-on experiences. Had I not started from the beginning of the KSC journalism curriculum, I’m not sure how I’d be able to do my job today. From our JRN 130 Writing for the Media course to our JRN 435 Community Television class, everything in-between was valuable to my future endeavors in each aspect of media. I’m proud to be a Keene State College journalism alumni, and I’m thankful for those who helped push me to where I am today.
My role at KTVL News 10 involves multiple moving parts including anchoring three newscasts per day, shooting/producing/editing/writing a sports segment each night and providing a mentoring role to many of our reporters and producers. As a main anchor, I co-anchor our 5 & 6 p.m. newscasts Monday-Friday and solo-anchor our 11 p.m. newscast. In addition to my news anchor roles, I serve as our sports director, which allows me to shoot feature stories and cover local events. As always, my duties extend to the constant use of social media and publishing content on our website. My methods of doing journalism vary. In addition to sharing the news with our viewers, I’m able to branch out and shoot stories of my own that I’m passionate about.
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
KSC-TV spearheaded me forward in the world of journalism. I’m thankful for the resources I had at my fingertips while at Keene State College including alumni, my professors and hands-on experiences. Had I not started from the beginning of the KSC journalism curriculum, I’m not sure how I’d be able to do my job today. From our JRN 130 Writing for the Media course to our JRN 435 Community Television class, everything in-between was valuable to my future endeavors in each aspect of media. I’m proud to be a Keene State College journalism alumni, and I’m thankful for those who helped push me to where I am today.
Matt Schwartz
Assignment Editor
ESPN Studio Production
What I'm doing now:
As an Assignment Editor at ESPN, my main objective is to serve the logistical needs for ESPN Studio Production. We ensure that all studio show units and platforms on the ESPN family of networks get the content they need. If the shows decide they want to activate coverage for a game or event, it is up to us to hire the freelance camera crew from our pool of vendors. We make sure that the crews are set with the proper transmission equipment, production plans, and paperwork for invoicing. Part of my responsibility is to clear external content for ESPN use. If content is from a competitor, regional sports network, local news station, from a fan, etc., it is up to us to decipher if we have rights to run that content on any given show or platform.
Some of the ESPN shows I have worked with include SportsCenter, College Football Live, Outside the Lines, and The Paul Finebaum Show. One of my recent major projects was coordinating SportsCenter coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals.
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
KSC Journalism has prepared me for my career by making me well-rounded. In an ever-changing field, it is vital to be well versed in all aspects of journalism. Without the myriad of courses that KSC Journalism offered, I would have faced a big learning curve in the professional world. Another huge asset to the department is offering credit for internships. The two internships I completed as a KSC Journalism student at WFXT-TV (Fox) Boston and at WCVB-TV (ABC) Boston propelled me to where I am today.
As an Assignment Editor at ESPN, my main objective is to serve the logistical needs for ESPN Studio Production. We ensure that all studio show units and platforms on the ESPN family of networks get the content they need. If the shows decide they want to activate coverage for a game or event, it is up to us to hire the freelance camera crew from our pool of vendors. We make sure that the crews are set with the proper transmission equipment, production plans, and paperwork for invoicing. Part of my responsibility is to clear external content for ESPN use. If content is from a competitor, regional sports network, local news station, from a fan, etc., it is up to us to decipher if we have rights to run that content on any given show or platform.
Some of the ESPN shows I have worked with include SportsCenter, College Football Live, Outside the Lines, and The Paul Finebaum Show. One of my recent major projects was coordinating SportsCenter coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals.
How KSC-TV prepared me for my career:
KSC Journalism has prepared me for my career by making me well-rounded. In an ever-changing field, it is vital to be well versed in all aspects of journalism. Without the myriad of courses that KSC Journalism offered, I would have faced a big learning curve in the professional world. Another huge asset to the department is offering credit for internships. The two internships I completed as a KSC Journalism student at WFXT-TV (Fox) Boston and at WCVB-TV (ABC) Boston propelled me to where I am today.