Hello! My name is Liz Adeola, and I am a Host and Producer at PBS Utah. I've known since an early age that I wanted to tell stories on television for a living. As a child, I would often wake up hours before school to watch Cover to Cover with John Robbins on PBS because I loved the way he combined storytelling with live-to-tape illustration. My three mile walk to school could have been boring but I used the time to pretend that I was a television director. It was entertaining, it was free, and unbeknownst to me - it was great practice for my future career as a storyteller.
I landed my first paid television job after I transferred to Arizona State University as a sophomore in college. I became friends with the receptionist at KAET (now known as Arizona PBS) and would stop by every Monday to check and see if there were any job openings. A few months later, I landed a job as a Master Control Operator working the sign on shift before going to class (5am). I loved it!
From making sure all the shows were loaded properly in automation to actually being the person who pressed the button to punch up live programming during the pledge drives - I was thrilled to be in charge of so many buttons and took pride in the responsibility of being the last set of eyes to QC (quality control) content before it aired. Like seriously I felt like I was George Jetson working for Mr. Spacely. From there, I went on to work as a Production Assistant for the City of Tempe, floor directing live shows, running audio, and rotating as technical director. I knew that if I wanted to be on camera, I needed to learn and respect the work of everyone who is part of the team.
I graduated from Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism with a major in Broadcast Journalism and minor in Political Science but could not find full-time work on air. I worked at a call-center for General Electric because at the time GE owned NBC and I figured applying for jobs in the internal company system could give me a leg up but that didn't happen. In fact, one person I interviewed asked me, "Why are you applying for so many jobs." That was pretty demoralizing. I didn't know that everyone could see everything I was applying for.
I was so close to taking another call center-esq position as an academic advisor for an online college when I got a call about a job opening at a television news station. The pay was less, and it wasn't the job that I wanted, but it was the job that I needed to propel me to the next level of being part of the creative process at a television station. So, I packed up my bags and moved to Reno, NV to work as an overnight Associate Producer (news writer).
That job behind the scenes gave me the full-time experience and clips that I needed to land a job in front of the camera in West Texas. I spent nearly ten years working on camera in commercial news and it was supposed to feel like my dreams realized but it didn't. I started to notice something. Anchors and Reporters were getting less and less opportunities to share stories that inspire and uplift people.
The dream job that I pictured as a child was turning into something toxic that was being driven by clicks and outrage. Churning out this kind of content has an impact on communities, and it has a negative impact on the people who are covering the stories. That is when I took a step back and revisited my mission and my dream. The goal that I set out to achieve when I saw Cover to Cover and decided that I wanted to be a storyteller. It wasn't to make people fear going outside but to inspire people to step out of their comfort zone, explore, and do something new.
I left the news contract that was offered to me in Indianapolis with more Anchor-time on the table and searched for the right opportunity that aligned with who I am and what I am passionate about. Spreading joy, showcasing the common thread that we all have as human beings, and fighting for diversity, inclusion, and positive change in society are all things that I enjoy doing. It took a long time but after months of searching I connected with PBS Utah and that is where I am today. Doing exactly what I set out to do as a child - show people what a gift this life is and why they should step outside to experience every last ounce of that gift while they can.
My advice for my colleagues in the YoPro community who are looking at taking the next step in their career is to take a leap, you never know where you might land. Not everyone fits into a box, in fact some of the most creative people are way outside the box and that is a good thing. Also, don't give up on your dreams. Even if people tell you "no," or ask "why?".
People have asked me what I want to do next, where do I want to go and the truth of the matter is the position I'm eyeing hasn't been created yet, it doesn't exist. I know my talents and strengths and understand the importance of finding a station that recognizes them and allows them to flourish. I'm thankful that management at PBS Utah understands this and allows me to do what I do best. I applied for a Host/Producer job and have done so much more within the two years I've been at my station. Party planner, team leader, health ambassador, fun committee chair, documentary narrator, kickball captain, motivational speaker, mentor, and PBS ambassador are just a few of my unofficial titles that I value just as much as my main title.
Looking to connect with Liz Adeola to learn more about her experience or obtain additional career advice? Email her today at: ladeola@kued.org.
