Show o f Don't Dont on oF t Mess ess With 1 t Spencer j r. r bg J 6 r r j. j YS J I. I f From Texas to Utah Spencer shines at BY OLGA OLCA Community Editor Ben Spencer is a communications educator of the Salt Lake Community College and has been working at the school for the past two years Spencer has extensive extensive extensive exten exten- sive teaching and journalism experience to prepare communication communication communication students for their future careers He has been working in the area of television television television sion for as many as 18 years since November 1980 Remembering how he had just started working as asa asa asa a journalist Spencer said It was the time when I 1 first developed appreciation for media value Describing his first steps in the journalism field he also added Ive always been curious ab about ut the world This curiosity was probably one of the most import important nt drives dives that helped l ed evolve to Spencer as a jour jour- O Of course course ours th there re was was' was was- z also his love for writing that helped him to become a professional professional professional pro pro- journalist Good writing is essential Its It's the heart of good reporting he stated r Since then he has worked on Utah's channel four for five years and at TV TV channel five for 11 years writing and reporting report report- ing ing- When Spencer moved to southeast Texas he had become a member of Texas Broadcast Association TEA Since that time he has been involved with ABC 12 News for Texas Working in Texas helped Spencer acquire his unique journalism experience Everything was different different different dif dif- ferent there culture issues problems There were a lot of racial issues there We covered covered covered cov cov- ered oil industry as well as prisons a lot too Upon his return to Utah Spencer had run for forState forState State Senate as a member of 1 the Democratic Party what Ive I've always been interested interested interested inter inter- ested in he said That's why one of his future plans is to torun run for the senate again In his life Spencer has attended six political conventions con- con f. f vent ons which once again t reveals his true interest in pol- pol v 1 v vI I- I Spencer remembered he once had the unique opportunity opportunity opportunity to spend two days with Governor at that time George W W. Bush Spencer had to show his journalistic talent and patience to persuade the Governor to speak with reporters He mentioned how tough it was with Bush who preferred talking about sports over giving the reporters a chance to ask questions Working at Spencer hopes to make a difference difference difference dif dif- ference in the school and most importantly in the students student's students student's students student's stu stu- stu- stu dents dent's life with his fresh ideas from organizing the schools school's radio station to keeping the television station going ultimately ultimately ultimately ulti ulti- tying them together with the schools school's newspaper to work as a whole He thinks his professional professional professional experience will be helpful to accomplish this goal I cant can't think of anything anything anything any any- thing I haven't done as a journalist journalist jour jour- he said r Highly experienced hi himself Spencer cep believes that teachers who w have gained their knowledge from real-life real experiences should teach the students at I do not understand how you can teach unless youve you've been a reporter writer producer yourself You have to be scarred and bruised As a communication teacher Spencer feels the responsibility for preparing quality journalists He stated Any college has to protect students expose them to real life As for his own responsibility as a teacher he said My goal is to get students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents completely prepared to work ork at real TV stations and we already have students who have started working right after their graduation In the future Spencer plans to work on his PHD in communication at the University of Utah with an emphasis on media conver conver- gence He believes media convergence convergence convergence con con- is the way mass media is changing due to technological developments and that's what students should learn about Aside from his pl plans ns to work on a PHD and run for political office Spencer will continue to teach at A 0 a i d' d i Ei f. f i j i i k w s1 g- g r rg a r jr h 7 i ii j r t. t H.-h H. s z- z ii o r. r i. i F fr i d 01 lE Wb n. n 5 r. iF s E T t c r.-f. r. E a o i i A r Er r J v 1 T iA i j. j Wp F f iF t M 4 fJ ss s i I TAj r T i ii SST tT rj cT r J i 9 fl t z t iP Jo 1 gi r EIn Fr rt i ori i 3 fei p f f. f S-ites S t 1 l T m 2 t. t TF J l 5 r F. F E 2 F. t. a r c i 1 i 1 ti 1 if Ei i W T ri F f- f rr SE i. i aW O r. r E ff 2 w 2 G rr s CS I 3 r L- L 1 i q 4 r zi f c r es t r h O f r f f j rE S.- S. a A Eff St r te ff- ff v I IA a ek T 5 r rt I Is h iJ J t i r 9 1 r. r s m fps fj f A i Ben Spencer By Carrie Crawford R |