Michelle Reitenauer is a current junior at Penn State, a broadcast journalism major and a member of Alpha Phi sorority. When she isn’t at Innovation Park for Penn State Network TV, applying for internships or working at Starbucks, she is writing scripts for her new position as a reporter for Centre County Report. Having recently won a college Emmy, Centre County Report is a newscast put on by students every Friday on WPSU.
HC: Being on television as a college student is such an impressive accomplishment. How did you find out about Centre County Report?
MR: I actually found out about CCR when I was at Lehigh Valley campus for spring semester my freshman year. One of my professors linked me with a broadcasting professor there who told me about it here at UP.
HC: When does the first show of the semester go on air?
MR: Friday, January 29! I am so excited and proud of the team for what is to come.
HC: How many students have the privilege of being a reporter for Centre County Report?
MR: This year is the first year that this opportunity has been made available for 46 students, which is huge. It’s definitely a privilege to be able to get hands-on experience and time on-screen before I begin applying for internships and jobs.
HC: So, it’s not hard to tell by your extracurricular and major that you love the media. What is your ideal future job?
MR: Ideally, I would love to work as an entertainment news host. I’m constantly on top of what is going on in the entertainment world, as it is something that really interests me.
HC: What is your go-to outfit when you know you’ll be on-screen?
MR: Right now, my go-to is a clean-cut blazer with a bright top underneath, but I’m trying to get more into dresses. Having the ability to look professional while simultaneously being trendy is definitely a necessary skill to have on camera.
HC: How much work goes on behind the scenes as far as retrieving information and writing scripts goes?
MR: There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes that viewers don’t know about. I have to learn how to work really intricate cameras – I’m constantly running around trying to get different shots all over campus just for one story, and then there’s trying to find people that are willing to be interviewed.
HC: So, we need to know. What is your most embarrassing on-screen moment?
MR: I haven’t done anything on-screen that has been aired YET, but my first packing in the Comm 465 class was horrendous. It was on the Penn State vs. Rutgers game, and it was pouring. My camera was zoomed in and entirely too far away. It was terrible.
HC: What advice would you give an aspiring undergraduate who is interested in broadcasting?
MR: GET INVOLVED. As a junior in my spring semester, I’m realizing that I was never involved enough. Do ComRadio. Join PSNtv. Get to know people in the field. Like now. It will help you so much for your classes and future career if you start now. Seeking out connections and utilizing weak ties is vital to be successful in the field of communications.
You heard it here first, communications girls. It’s no secret. Get it together, and put yourself out there. We are looking forward to seeing Michelle and her feats as an alumna in the near future!