On Wednesday, September 27^th Valencia’s Media Production class got a chance to see first-hand how a television newscast is put together. The group visited WFTV studios in downtown Orlando. The students started off in the editorial meeting and ended the day viewing a live interview with U.S. Representative Darren Soto.

Students witnessed how a newscast comes together from beginning to end. Four reporters pitched stories that could be filmed that day for the evening newscast. The managing editor either accepted the pitch or quickly rejected the idea. Kelli Collins, a student in Valencia’s Media Production class, says it was a quick lesson in how every journalist needs to be thick-skinned.

“I had no idea how competitive this industry is, it motivates me to keep going.” Collins tells us.

Another tour highlight was speaking with veteran reporter Shannon Butler. She has been in the Orlando television market for 17 years. She worked at Central Florida 13, FOX35, and ultimately WFTV. Her best advice was to love the job.

“Without passion, you have nothing, you gotta love it,” said Butler.

News Anchor Greg Warmoth also spoke directly with the students after interviewing U.S. Congressman Darren Soto. “The key to success is to always be curious about the world around you,” Warmoth says.

Warmoth was gracious enough to take numerous pictures with the class and even share insight on Valencia College. He mentioned that when he first started in the television market more than 30 years ago, Valencia was a much different institution. He offered a historical perspective of race relations then and now.

Assignment manager Jesse Rogers completed the tour reiterating the one key skill to making it as a journalist. “Writing is everything,” says Rogers. It’s a notion that stayed with Valencia student Kelli Collins.

“This field trip really showed me up close and personal the career I have been dreaming of joining since as long as I can remember. I got to see every aspect of what it’s like to be on a team at a news station,” says Collins.

Any student interested in becoming a journalist can participate in the Valencia Voice, the school’s digital,news outlet. Meetings are held Wednesday morning at 10am on East Campus room 1-150. Also, JOU1030 Media Production is a lab course that helps create digital, audio, and video news stories for the Voice.