Former classmates were once partners in group projects. They're now doing near identical work at competing TV stations.
The Blanchard household always tuned into NewsChannel 13 for their evening news. But as of last month, they're now faithful viewers of CBS6. Zach Clouse '21 can remember his dad sometimes watching ABC 10. Not anymore. Entrenched viewing habits are superseded by family employment.
In June, WNYT-TV hired Clouse as a videographer/editor. Within days of his appointment, WRGB-TV made the same offer to Adam Blanchard '21. Working for competing stations, the communications majors are effectively doing the same job.
"I'm so glad to have gotten an opportunity working in a field I'm passionate about!"
Adam Blanchard '21
Clouse and Blanchard attend morning production meetings with producers, reporters, and other members of their respective news teams. The daily meeting is routine; the rest of the shift never is. They may be covering an event with a reporter, shooting footage of the day's top story, or editing video for the evening newscast.
Rule #1 in journalism class: deadlines are unforgiving. In the news business, employment depends on the ability to meet an inflexible deadline. Clouse and Blanchard practiced that in class, now they're experiencing it. From the recent Rensselaer County floods, Clouse was holding a laptop over his head at 4:57 hoping to improve the signal so his story would transmit in time to lead the 5:00 newscast. Blanchard, meanwhile, often edits the 5:00 show at WRGB, often finishing stories a 4:58. That's the nature of news - it's fast-paced, high energy, and at times, stressful.
There's an adrenaline rush, though, that comes with working in news, whether you're in front of the camera or behind the scenes. The pressure is simulated in journalism classes, but now Close and Blanchard are living it... and loving it. How are they doing? Tune in to either channel 13 or 6 this evening, and you're likely to see video they shot and/or edited.
"Right out of school, I'm getting the opportunity to dive straight into work I enjoy doing. I'm able to flex my creative muscles in a fast-paced, high-energy work environment, and the communications professors and hands-on projects at Siena put me in a position to do this. I'm so grateful for my Siena experience."
Zach Clouse '21
