NewsChannel 9 WSYR employees Jim Campagna ’81 and Christina Galvin ’18 M’19 shared inside information about the television news-producing business with students on April 12. Everyone in attendance gathered in Lanigan’s Studio A under lights and around camera equipment.
The alumni gave students the lowdown on craft, being more specific about how their studio runs on an average day and how stories are structured.
“I never called it a job, it’s more of a passion, and it changes every day,” said Campagna, a veteran news director at the Syracuse, N.Y., station. “Chrissy [Galvin] will tell you that no day is the same.”
Campagna said that around the studio the crew operates under the phrase, “TIWPATA” meaning “this is what people are talking about,” while the attendees said they go by “WIIFM” meaning “what’s in it for me?” and everybody laughed about the TV lingo.
Aside from just sharing a few tips, the alumni gave students advice and knowledge about the news production industry by showing a recent WSYR9 newscast as an example of what professional packaging looks like. Students were able to ask about how to stack stories and how to transition between hard stories and the weather.
“You don’t want to do ‘and now, the weather,’” said Galvin, an Emmy-award winning news producer and special projects producer. “”That wouldn’t be good.”
Campagna reminded students that in this career, when others’ days are ending, the newsroom’s is just beginning.
“The end of the day is the culmination,” Campagna said, adding that this difference from other jobs is what keeps things entertaining.
Taking note of how competitive the production industry is, he added, “There’s always gonna be local news.”
Galvin shared that the business of TV production is not a get-rich-quick fast pass.
“If you’re in this industry to become a millionaire right away, you’re in it for the wrong reason,” Galvin said.
“I’ve been at Channel 9 for five years now, and I fell in love with being a part of our community and telling the stories that you are engulfed in every single day,” Galvin said.
Another facet of Channel 9 WSYR is Your Stories, a feature that allows locals to submit their story suggestions.
“Imagine finding a passion for the place that you live in and being able to tell the stories of your neighbors,” Galvin said.
Many of the students in attendance raised their hands when Campagna and Galvin asked who was interested in production – a few had internships lined up for summer already. The alumni handed out cards with their contact information on it and encouraged them to apply to Channel 9.
Campagna addressed worries students had about friends in other industries starting out with more money and feeling behind. “I’ve been in the industry for 40 years,” Campagna said. “In the beginning it seems like, ‘ah jeez, when’s this gonna change;’ but somewhere along the line, it clicks.”
~Lauren Royce '24