WIS-TV Meteorologist Sheds Light on the Local TV News Business

 

What a treat it was for the Communications Program to have WIS-TV Columbia meteorologist Shavonne "Von" Gaskins speak on Oct. 16! The veteran weather expert, a Palmetto State native, gave sage advice on the ins and outs of the local TV news business. She has forecast the weather for WIS and its viewers since 2010. Here is her station biography.

Among her insightful comments: "Behind the glamor are long hours and deadline pressure. The skills you need are storytelling, connecting with the audience. That matters more than looking good on camera."

Ms. Gaskins included a slide in her presentation showing several SC State communications graduates currently working at WIS-TV.

Thanks go to Andrea Milford-Williams for another outstanding guest in the program's speaker series!

"Country Girl" Shares Her TV News Success Story

 

"One of my rules is not to say I want to be but to say I'm going to be, so from now on say that." 

Such self-confidence has guided Billie Jean Shaw to a successful television news career since graduating from Winthrop University in 2013 with a mass communications degree. 

The self-proclaimed "country girl from Manning" treated our communications majors to an inspiring presentation on Feb. 20 as part of our Media Professionals Speaker Series. 

A main anchor at Columbia's WIS-TV, Shaw told us she knew early in life that she wanted to work in TV news, telling the Manning newspaper in 2014 that as a youngster, she preferred watching WIS-TV news instead of cartoons.  

"They had a segment, 'Live with Lucas,' she said back then, "where he would go to places all over the Midlands and interview all types of people. I would look at that and think, 'Hey, I want to be on TV. I want to talk to people like that and tell their stories.'" 

College helped equip Shaw with the knowledge, skills and tools to make her dream a reality. She showed us her first "MMJ" report as a Winthrop student. MMJ stands for multimedia journalist, meaning she shot, wrote and edited the package (a reporter story with voice-over tracks, soundbites from people interviewed, and her on-camera standup part). 

Sierra's Sage Advice to SC State Communications Students

On March 16 SC State students learned the power of perseverance, patience and positivity.  

The Communications Program's Media Professionals Speaker Series brought from Columbia Sierra Artemus, of WIS-TV. She is the producer and sometimes host of the station's daily "Soda City Live" program. 

Sierra also has her own podcast, SiTV, and is a sought after speaker, brand strategist, community activist, and youth advocate. 

A native of Columbia, Sierra graduated from Richland Northeast High School and the University of South Carolina (B.S. Broadcast Journalism). 

Sierra's' degree from USC was 11 years in the making. She says she had to pay her own way through school and this caused some stops and starts. 

"You've got to be eager and hungry," she told the students. Sierra's career path reflects this attitude. 

Want to Work in TV News? WIS-TV's Von Gaskin Shares Some Wisdom

 

Broadcasting majors were treated to valuable real-world advice from Columbia's WIS-TV veteran meteorologist Von Gaskin. During a 75-minute Zoom call on Feb. 25 Gaskin encouraged the students to be determined in reaching their goals. "You have to keep pushing yourself to the next level," she said. "That's how you will make it, you have to keep working hard."

WIS-TV Set Donation Arrives!

Instructor Alicia Pryor, in just a few years at SC State, has helped advance the Communications Program by leaps and bounds.

She introduced Bulldog News Now (BNN), a broadcast that went weekly this school year.  And it is now viewed outside of campus and the program's Facebook site by also airing in the Orangeburg community via cable television. 

Pryor has also successfully aligned with Columbia's WIS-TV to attain large, professional set pieces that the station was no longer using.

This week, the remaining few background pieces were delivered. 

Said Pryor in a Facebook post: "A huge thank you to the WIS News 10 team for the donations to our Communications Program. The students, faculty and staff are extremely appreciative of the gift." Thank you notes, under Pryor's direction, are being sent to WIS and also the university's facilities management workers who brought up and set up the large pieces.

Plans are underway to create appropriate SC State designs to go on the set to replace the Channel 10 ones.