Story by Carly Belin

Photos courtesy of DuckTV

I heard about a student club called DuckTV during the first week of my freshman fall term at the UO School of Journalism and Communication. DuckTV is the student-run television network, with news, sports, and creative shows. A part of me had always had an interest in being a newscaster, so I decided that I would audition.

I put my makeup on, consulted my roommate on what outfit was most "business casual" and headed to Allen Hall. I made it all the way to the third floor before I was greeted by a large group of people crowded around a table labeled “DuckTV Auditions.”

That’s when I panicked. I turned around, ran back down the three flights of stairs, and returned to the safety and comfort of my little Walton North home.

I was upset with myself for chickening out but was determined to try again the next time I got an opportunity. Winter term rolled around, which meant auditions were happening again. This time I marched myself up to the third floor of Allen and stayed long enough to do an audition.

That Sunday I received an email letting me know that I had made it and that I was a part of the DuckTV News team for the winter 2017 term! Now, just over one year later, I am a producer for DuckTV News.

I’ve come a long way since my first newscast. 

The first time I ever got to anchor the newscast will be a day I’ll remember forever. I’d been in the studio countless times before, but I’d never sat behind the desk and under the bright lights. I was nervous, more nervous than I think I’ve ever been. But as soon as the cameras were rolling and it was time to begin, I felt a wave of calm wash over me. It was unexplainable, but it gave me the strength and power to get through the entire broadcast without the nervous jitters I’d had coming into the day.

As an associate producer this past term, each week I helped run our team meetings, chose which stories to report on and who would go on camera, posted to our social media accounts, aided in directing the studio shoots, and helped edit the final show.

Starting this fall, I'll have come full circle and will be on the other side of the audition table. I'm so thankful for the family I've found at DuckTV. I couldn't imagine what my college life would look like without it.

Every week I am surrounded by driven students, determined to do the best reporting possible. They are passionate about finding the important stories and telling them in an artful and visually pleasing way.

It took some time, but DuckTV has truly become a home away from home. This hands-on experience has proven to me that my ambitions are realistic and that if I continue putting in the work, I can reach my goals and obtain my dream career as a broadcast journalist.

Carly Belin is a junior from San Diego, Calif. She is studying journalism with a focus on broadcasting. This fall will be her second term interning for the SOJC Communications Office. She is also a producer for UO’s student-run television program, DuckTV News.