Congrats to Ty Hawkins who has made his debut on the anchor desk at ABC-FOX Montana. He landed his first on-air gig through the RMG job catalyst program.

If you want to submit your reel, email Jenny at jenny@reelmediagroup.com or DM her in the community.

Here’s his Facebook announcement.

Reel Media Group Alum, FOX/ABC Montana reporter and community member, Cassie Schrim, got the assignment every first-time reporter waits for. The story that goes national.

In 2017, that means a story catches fire, fast with the addition of social media. Cassie posted a blog on her personal site, The Newsie, outlining her experience covering the Ben Jacobs and Greg Gianfonte story last week.  We love some of the things she talked about and think you can learn a lot too (or maybe identify with her story).

She a few experts from her experience below.  You can connect with @cassieschirm in our community.  It’s free to register just follow www.reelmediagroup.com/register.

After it hit Twitter we were put on a wild goose chase to figure out what exactly happened. Kolby went to the scene and I went to the hospital and social media. After seeing the Guardian reporter at the hospital there was a press release at the Law and Justice center’s detention center. I had no idea it would blow up this big. Normally when there’s a press conference it is only the local tv stations and the newspaper. Instead I was in a room full of journalist from one side to the next. Reporters from all over the world and national stations.I ended up working that day till midnight hoping to get ahold of the Guarfian reporter. 

I wanted to try to be different so Kolby and I went off the tripod and did a walk and talk through the campaign party. It was fun and a little more extra work but it was worth it. I even had some of the of the other stations say they wish they would have thought of that.  

I was covering this election from early into the morning until 3 AM the next day. Greg Gianoforte won the congressional seat and I was one of the first reporters who learned the AP called the election at 10:40. It was pretty big day in my career as well as for Montana.

It was crazy being in the middle of it. I know the area and the people here since have been working for 10 months in Bozeman. I had these big stations asking for my opinion or help when it comes to the area. I was able to talk with these fellow reporters. These reporters were reporters I hope to be like some day. With the breaking news I didn’t have time to be star struck it was more of just an admiration and push to set myself a part from all of these great journalist. I watched, learned and did the best reporting I could do. I’m proud of what I brought to the table and this experience is something I will hold with me for my journalism career because I truly did learn a lot from being apart of this media frenzy.

Wonder what the assistant news director in the No. 8 market in the country is thinking? Wonder what they think of your tape? Your social following? Now is your opportunity to find out!

Carlton Houston has been working in the news industry for nearly 25 years and has worked in a variety of cities around the country, including Kansas City, Tampa, Oklahoma City and now Washington D.C.

This Thursday Carlton will be joining Reel Media Group for Part 3 of our #AskANewsDirector series. Come and join the conversation, and hear about Carlton’s experiences as a reporter, producer and news director.

If you are new to Reel Media Group, welcome! #Askanewsdirector is a series where our members can get to know the ins and outs of the industry from an expert’s perspective and ask direct questions that you may not be able to get answers to otherwise.

This is just one of the resources available to All-Access members, and if you want to upgrade it is very easy, just follow the link www.reelmediagroup.com/register and use the promo-code reel10. This is something you will not want to miss! You can also check out other parts to the series, which are posted in the #AskAReporter group on RMG, that feature reporters Susan Geary and Kelly Kennedy.

See you all on Thursday!

Check out a couple clips from last week’s session with Kimberly Wyatt below.

Natalie Parsons is a reporter for WACH in Columbia, SC.  She is also one of the first people to come through our demo reel bootcamp program in 2013.  Her journey is inspiring though not always pretty, as she admits.  It’s an important read for anyone who has thought about throwing in the towel.  Don’t.  If you can identify with this, join the conversation in our community by signing up at www.reelmediagroup.com/register.

It’s crazy to think that my “journalism journey” only started a few years ago because quite frankly it feels like it’s already been an eternity. I’ll be the first to say this experience has not been the so-called easy or glamorous life that people picture it to be. It’s actually involved MANY struggles. The end of 2016 I was at my rock bottom. I was depressed from feeling like I just didn’t fit in no matter what I did, missing out on family-friend moments because of the distance between NY-ND, not being able to survive at times on a small market salary…and oh we can’t forget about being fired a time or two for reasons you never thought a person could actually be fired for. Then there was the breakup with the boyfriend of almost 2.5-years because we were barely able to see each other no matter how hard we tried with our very opposite schedules. The last television station I worked at as a Multimedia Journalist in Fargo, N.D. was an affiliate for three stations but only staffed for one and was running me ragged. I felt exhausted, mentally beaten and on the verge of an eating disorder from losing too much weight due to my work environment. I hated getting up in the morning just to dread the super hard news story I’d be told to cover that day. (I’m a features and “soft side of the news” kind of girl!) I had officially reached my “do or die” moment. Things needed to change.

After reading that, you’re probably surprised that I’d even say that I love working in television. I love crafting stories, being creative, getting out into the world and meeting new people. Sending off my finished packages for air every day is such an incredibly accomplishing feeling, but the breaking news route was starting to put a damper on something that I truly loved to do. My friends and family back home in New York heard how miserable I was and even told me that maybe it’s time for me to give up on this dream and choose something else, but I’m not the type of person who gives up when the going gets tough. Anyone in this business knows that unfortunately you struggle in the beginning so as much as I was struggling I just kept telling myself that hopefully there would be a light at the end of the tunnel and it would all be worth it in the end like the saying “nothing good comes easily.” I don’t plan to give up until my head and my heart agree that a particular moment is right time…and that ain’t now. Throughout all my experiences, this quote I heard ABC7 New York Anchor Sade Baderinwa say would help keep me going: “Not everyone is going to get you and that’s okay. You just have to keep going until you find people who do.” 

I sent out one resume and one reel…then left Fargo the end of February 2017 for my “dream job” as a Morning Traffic/Lifestyle Reporter in Columbia, S.C. I started in April and thus far it’s been the change I’ve been needing. The market is a breathe of fresh air and being back on the east coast makes it that much sweeter. Fargo had me on the sidelines never really giving me a chance to shine or spread my wings, but the new station has confidence in me so much that my face is all over town on billboards!!!!! 

Young journalists need to know that if one job doesn’t work out and you have a passion for what you’re doing – look for different options to get you to your goals. Think outside the box especially with the changing scopes of the media world. Do what Baderinwa said and go look for that place where you can belong. Don’t let the misery of your current situation be your ultimatum. You don’t have to accept it. My mom always says,”You don’t have to be miserable. If you’re unhappy, do something about it. You and only you can do that.” YOU GOT THIS. I BELIEVE IN YOU!!! 🙂