Among millions of videos on YouTube, one current FMU student is pursuing her own broadcasting career by hosting a web talk show entitled “What’s Going On?”
Senior mass communication major Katrina Garnes began working on gaining experience in the broadcasting field after her decision to change her major from English to mass communication.
“I always loved the idea of broadcasting,” Garnes said. “It was a way to incorporate two things I love to do: writing and broadcasting. I love to be able to inform and entertain.”
Garnes broadcast her first web talk show in June of this year, and she remembers that as her most memorable moment.
“It was my most memorable moment, not because it’s more significant than any of the others, but because it was actually my first time recording my show, and it was just a great experience,” Garnes said.
Her show is based in the Pee Dee area, but she aspires to expand to larger areas as her show gets bigger. Some of her shows include interviewing various musicians and bands in the community as well as talking to the mayor about the reconstruction of downtown Florence.
“It’s not a talk show that is located in the studio or anything; everything is out on the scene and on location,” Garnes said. “I just want it to be live and interactive.”
Garnes, who was the vice-president of the FMU Student Media Association last year, aspires to get more students and even faculty involved with her show.
“If anyone has any ideas and if there is anybody who wants to help me, they will get full credit in the captions at the end,” Garnes said. “It’s something that you can actually say that will be there that you can maybe show a potential employer and say ‘I did that’ so if there are any people who want to get more experience behind the camera or people who want to get more experience producing, I’m willing to work with them.”
Garnes enjoys the opportunity to not only interview different people, but to actually pick the subjects.
“I get to choose every-thing: where the location is, what the subject is, what the issue is or who the person is,” Garnes said.
Garnes offered advice for any student pursuing a career in broadcasting, explaining what potential employers are looking for from new applicants.
“If mass communication is going to be your major with a focus in television, employers in the broadcasting field aren’t really looking for too many written resumes,” Garnes said. “They’re looking for the real thing, and if we’re not actually able to accumulate the real thing, it’s really hard to find work. We need actual material, actual video footage to show potential employers.”
Garnes said that she is not getting paid to do any of this. She said she just enjoys the craft and gaining the experience.
“Not only is it a chance for us to show our work, but it’s also a chance for us to practice our work,” Garnes said. “The only way you’re going to succeed is going out there.”
Anyone interested in viewing Garnes’ web show can go to www.youtube.com and type in “kgarnes07” which will direct them to her page entitled “Katrina Television.”