View My VisualCV Online: http://www.visualcv.com/americanjohn

Summary

I love the vast open space of the Lone Star state. Born in the west Texas town of El Paso, I appreciate the beauty Texas has to offer. I spent some time in Dallas. After living in Michigan for more than three years and working for WZZM 13 News, I am finally home again in Texas.

 

My career began at KVIA TV in El Paso. I have learned a lot along the way but I know there is much more to soak up in future travels. I have a passion for storytelling and writing, which has been a part of my life from a very young age. I am working on a bachelor's degree in communications from Dallas Baptist University and currently hold an associate of practical theology from CFNI and a Certificate of Biblical Studies from New Life Bible College.

 

I check in daily with Poynter, Online Media Daily, Media Post Publications, The Center for Media Research, NPR, USA Today along with all local media outlets in Austin and across Texas. I am also a current member of the Lonestar chapter of NATAS.

Work History

KEYE TV

Austin, TX, United States
Feb 2008 - Present
Assignment Editor / Web Producer 

 

 

  • Conceptualized, designed, & maintain 'Virtual Assignment Desk': www.americanjohn.com/assignmentdesk.html
  • Conduct afternoon editorial meetings, generate original content for newscasts, & pair crews.
  • Regularly complete beat checks, story set-up, fact checking, and story research.
  • Work closely with web producers to quickly move content to station website along with writing content.
  • Coordinate live/satellite arrangements and bookings for field crews.

    • [Contact: Suzanne Black (News Director) 512.490.2199]

    WZZM 13 News

    Grand Rapids, MI, United States
    Jun 2004 - Feb 2008
    Assignment Editor / Web Producer 

             Assignment Editor/Web Producer, WZZM-TV Grand Rapids, MI. [6/04 to 2/08]   

    • Produced news content for station website.
    • HTML editing, FTP Up/Down content, Video editing & encoding, & Webpage creation
    • Set up stories, made beat checks, compiled day sheets, & monitored scanners.
    • Tuned in live shots and coordinated video feeds.
    • Avid i-NEWS Super User (System Administrator), Crispin Automation, Troll System management.
    [Contact: Tim Geraghty (News Director) or Chuck Mikowski (Director of Engineering) 616.559.1405]

    Texas Cable News

    Dallas, United States
    Sep 2000 - Jun 2004
    Desk Producer / Master Control Operator 

           Desk Producer/Master Control Operator, TXCN  Dallas, TX. [9/00-6/04]    

    • Assignments coordinator, Researching & News Gathering from BELO Texas cluster meeting point.
    • Interfaced with KHOU, KVUE, KENS, BELO DC, and WFAA TV.
    • Video distribution/capture, Editing (Clip Edit), server management, archiving and compiling of news stories.
    • Booking , guest coordination, production, camera operator for 'Family Time Show' & 'Monday's With Mattie.'
    • On air digital server management (Louth, Seachange, Flexi-cart).
    • Information ticker monitoring (Angus, Collage).
    • Segmenting and commercial ingestion (Betacam SX, DG systems, Pathfire), commercial production.
    • Routing video sources, 24 hour satellite transmission, commercial zone management.

          [Contact: Steve Ackerman (News Director) or David Boyd (Chief Engineer) 214.977.4511]

    ABC 7 - KVIA TV

    El Paso, United States
    Mar 1999 - Jun 2000
    Master Control Operator 

             Master Control Operator, KVIA-TV El Paso, TX.  [3/99-6/00]       

    • On-air digital server management (Louth, HP On Air).
    • ABC network affiliate operations.
    • Commercial ingestion, routing video sources, FCC monitoring of tower, dubbing.
    • Avid editing, live photographer, live shoot coordinator.

    [Contact: Ozzie Carrillo (Photographer) 915.496.7777 ext. 1549]

    Objective

    I've been fortunate enough to meet some great people in Austin and look forward to telling the stories this town has to share. There are many stories to tell and my hope is that I can continue to learn in every aspect of what I do and in with whom I interact.

    Video

    Austin Couple celebrates 70 years of marriage

    Youtube_32
    On-air package, February 2009.
     

    Red Carpet interview with Seth Rogen

    Youtube_32
    Sometimes I get to meet some really cool people.
     

    Red carpet interview with Ana Faris

    Youtube_32
    Ana Faris was the sweetest person I've ever interviewed.
     

    Red carpet interview with Donald DeLine

    Youtube_32
    The well spoken Director of Observe and Report - Donald DeLine.
     

    Press Release I wrote for interview with the Texas State History Museum

    Press Release I wrote for interview with the Texas State History Museum
     

    Innergize News Manager interface

    Innergize interface1
     

    Innergize News Manager interface

    Innergize interface2
     

    i-News sytem screen capture

    i-News screen capture
     

    Education

    Dallas Baptist University

    Dallas, TX, United States
    May 2002 - Present
    B/A, Communications

    I currently have 12 credits remaining to complete my Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.

    Certifications / Memberships

    Lonestar Chapter

    (NATAS)
    Jan 2004 - Has no expiration

    Member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences - Lonestar Chapter.

    i-News Super User

    (Avid)
    May 2005 - Has no expiration

    This certification is as an IT manager of the i-News system software and backbone. As a Super User I have to restart the server occasionaly, unlock news room personell from their scripts, re-acquire deleted items, create user profiles, maintain system functions.

    News Manager

    (Innergize Digital media)
    Has no expiration

    Daily use of News Manager  to update the website keeytv.com.

    Newsmaker

    (Gannett)

    Daily use of Newsmaker to update the website wzzm13.com.

    Member

    (Investigative Reporters and Editors)
    May 2005 - May 2006

    As a member of the Investigative Reporters and Editors association, I have access to data and resources to complement coverage for stories KEYE works on daily.

    Office 2003

    (Microsoft )
    Jan 2004 - Has no expiration

    College level course in the operation of Windows XP, Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft Excel 2003, Microsoft Access 2003, Microsoft Power Point 2003 and Microsoft Outlook 2003.

    Training materials

    Diplomas and honors

    KEYE TV

    KEYE TV CBS 42

    I am a multi-platform journalist willing to teach and learn every aspect of the three-screen news gathering and dissemination processs. I can run the desk, shoot video, write for the web and contribute on-air reports.

    Degree from New Life Bible College

    New Life BIble College degree

    Degree from Christ For The Nations Institute

    Degree from Christ For The Nations Institute

    The National Dean's List nomination

    Deans List nomination

    In 2002 I was selected as one of only 5% of students in the United States' 3,000 colleges as an honoree.

    IRE membership

    IRE membership

    AVID certification as i-News Super User

    i-News Super User certification

    Element K HTML 4.0 class while at BELO

    Element K class I took while at BELO on HTML 4.0

    Basic introduction to HyperText Markup Language used to format and create personal websites.

    Element K Microsoft Office 2003 class while at BELO

    Element K Microsoft Office 2000

    Basic understanding of the Microsoft Office 2000 suite.

    AVID i-News training manual

    i-News Training Manual

    AVID provided WZZM with training after we converted our newsroom management software to i-News. The training included this manual I used to teach employees how to use the new system.

    YouTube account