Ole Miss Graduate Shares Her Journey as a Broadcast Journalist

Kayla Lusby at her anchor desk with KTVE in Monroe, Louisiana

Attention, students: Do not be afraid to go above and beyond as a journalism student. Take risks, practice unique standups, and remember that internships are key.

While at Ole Miss, I worked for ESPNU as a student broadcaster, Rebel Radio, and for Rebelvision. I was able to intern at both News 5 in Nashville and Fox 13 in Memphis. The more I did, the more I learned. It’s about trial and error. It’s about absorbing as much as you can while in college to prepare you for that first countdown to LIVE television.
After my graduation in May of 2013, I found myself living in Phoenix with my best friend. I was working as a radio host for NBC Sports, and I knew it still wasn’t the right fit for my life.
I returned to the South and found my first job as a TV news reporter in Monroe, Louisiana. It was a small city, market 136. The station was considered a duopoly, which is a word used to describe being both a Fox and NBC affiliate. The best way to describe the start of my life in a small television market is sink-or-swim. My news director quickly taught me how to use a camera, edit, build graphics, and fine-tuned my very out-of-practice writing skills. After one week of training, I was on my own. Welcome to the life of a multimedia journalist, or “MMJ.”
There is no feeling in the world like creating a new product every day. The feeling of creating a piece that you shot, edited, and wrote all before a set deadline is exhilarating. The process of creating a news reel to bring to the public’s attention is an art.
The vibrant culture of Louisiana also brought jazzy stories to my plate. From Mardi Gras celebrations to giant alligators that somehow get into your kitchen — every day comes with a new story. Being a reporter means you never live the same day twice. Forget a 9-to-5 office job! After the high of being on live television or chasing after an inmate with questions about a gruesome crime, you will never want to go back. It’s that heartening feeling of landing an exclusive interview that makes the job worthwhile.
After hitting the ceiling with my local reporting skills, I was offered a job of being the weekend anchor. This meant learning how to produce shows and sitting at the desk every weekend. (Yes, that’s right, I haven’t had a weekend off in nearly two years, and that’s OK!). Soon after the promotion, I encountered even more mountains to climb. I did my first live cut-in during regular programming when the deputies in Baton Rouge were shot. The Pulse nightclub shooting also happened during my time as weekend anchor. At this point, I was juggling producing, anchoring, web content writing, shooting, editing, and reporting as a part of my weekly tasks.
I began to realize that my dream of becoming a big-time news lady like the Katie Courics or Megyn Kellys of the world takes time. There is a process to becoming the best. It is about sacrifice. Ramen noodles, grueling hours, constant deadlines, and a roller coaster of emotions is not what I thought I signed up for while walking through the Grove at Ole Miss sipping my coffee.
The real world is just that — it’s very real and in your face. As I visit my alma mater, which has grown substantially in the past four years, I breathe in the mighty oaks and I smile. This is where it all started. If I knew then what I know now, maybe I would have started in this career sooner in a different media market with an entirely new learning curve and new discoveries of what I love about this business. I am a reporter, an anchor, but first and foremost, I am an Ole Miss Rebel.

By Kayla Lusby

Republished from The Meek School Magazine, a collaborative effort of Journalism and Integrated Marketing Communications students with the faculty of Meek School of Journalism and New Media. Every week, HottyToddy.com will feature an article from Meek Magazine, Issue 5 (2017-2018).

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