Show Journalism Students Visit Rebecca By Janice Blackham and Lisa Keene Journalism students witnessed witnessed witnessed wit wit- what most dont don't realize goes on behind the scenes of a newscast May 18 as they attended a live at Channel Channel Channel Chan Chan- nel 4 The trip complemented the visit of news anchor Karen Cams Carns to their class one week earlier Upon arrival to the station at four students their teacher Roselyn Kirk and her husband Ron talked with meteorologist Rebecca She She- explained her educational background her job and how she got her job Also known as the woman with all the belts Rebecca explained what equipment and information is used used- in making accurate weather forecasts began her college career as as a journalism major but found she write herself out of a paper bag After taking a weather studies class to fill general education education education tion requirement she knew she had an interest and talent for meteorology After graduating from the University of Kansas in atmospheric atmospheric atmos atmos- sciences she announced and forecasted the weekend weather for for in Wichita Kan Kan- sas Because the station kept her in sweaters and required a 2 2 1 hour commute to work she began looking for a new career in market market- ing Family members already living in Salt Lake her to send sendan an audition tape to and within a week eek she had the weekend weekend weekend week week- end job Last July she was promoted promoted promoted pro pro- to weekday forecasting does not use the teleprompter teleprompter teleprompter tele- tele prompter for her forecast or her Friday From the Ground Up gardening series She prefers to do doher doher doher her stories off the top of her head Therefore she makes several grammatical errors each week But she actually has more trouble when forced to read prepared text from the tele- tele prompter At the anchors were in place awaiting the countdown by bythe bythe bythe the floor director The class quickly learned of the reality and pressure of TV journalism Just minutes before air time the computerized teleprompter malfunctioned This meant that the screen from which the anchors read the news went blank Things were tense for a awhile awhile awhile while but quick professional action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion was taken and the newscast went off without a h Hitch bitch At 1000 the students watched Phil Riesen I Karen Cams Carns R Rebecca becca and Steve Brown do what they do best a newscast They are I Ithe the visible personalities but for I every everyone one of them there are at least five others working behind the scenes There were were three cameramen one floor director one teleprompter teleprompter teleprompter tele- tele prompter operator one Chyron operator two producers one news director and several others who already put numerous hours into the newscast These include reporters photographers photographers photo photo- I editors producers and countless others The i ire re receptionist also has a big job during during during dur dur- ing the news she faces the whole i state of Utah who calls in to complain complain complain com com- plain or commend the news anchors anchors' anchors anchors' anchors anchors' an an- clothes hair speech and at at- at I I IThe The seemingly quiet calm newscast newscast newscast news news- cast is actually filled with hustle and bustle of cameramen and the floor director telling the anchors what to do Its It's a pressure high-pressure job to make a newscast Everything is live and if one thing goes wrong they cant can't edit it before it goes on the air Everything must flow smoothly or it will reflect on the over-all over appearance appearance appearance appear appear- ance of a newscast It was an opening eye-opening experience experience experience ex ex- for the journalism class They will never think of a newscast the same again 3 y x 6 Iq i ria I I Ii i I I V I 4 d j j Y 5 f fJ A J a t. t j ii i e i o f y Jj d Y f rr U li 1 w v Y F o by a t J Rebecca Rehei Impressed students student with her knowledge and flair for tor the weather f i. i t |