Photo: Don Spann
Antonio Jackson
Variety Editor
Media professionals from around the state converged on the eCenter to mentor Jackson State University students at the annual MAB (Mississippi Association of Broadcasters) Day on Feb. 13.
Representatives from various broadcast companies/stations, such as WTOK, WAPT, WLBT, WJTV, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, iHeartRadio, and more came to the Mississippi E-Center in hopes of recruiting new talent to the respective stations.
Michael White, Jr., Director of Operations at the Gray Media Training Center at WLBT/Fox 40, spoke about his passion for teaching up and coming journalists.
“As a JSU graduate and award-winning journalist, I love meeting students and educating them about a possible career in broadcasting. It’s important for students to understand that they are the next generation of the broadcasting industry. I hope the students excel in this field and reach new heights,” White stated.
Juniors and seniors from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at JSU, exclusively had the chance to network and present their portfolios for expert critiques and advice to improve in their craft.
Zoi Latimer, a senior journalism and media studies from Jackson, Miss., was glad she participated in the event.
“I found the conference very informative. We learned about the different skills that’s needed within our field. I always make sure to bring all of my work in order to stay prepared,” said Latimer.
Nijah Brister, a senior journalism and media studies major also from Jackson, Miss., advises future students to attend each conference every chance they get, wishing he would have done the same earlier in his college career.
“While I attended the MAB conference, I met many individuals from our field. I found a lot of different job opportunities that they were offering. For students who would like to go, I’d say come groomed and bring everything that you’ve worked on during your college years. I’d also say to attend as many of these events as you possibly can, because that gives you a great network that’ll hopefully land you a nice job,” said Brister.
He added: “For me, I started going more when I was a senior and I wish I would’ve gone more when I was a freshman, but I didn’t really know a lot about the organization until later.”
The Mississippi Association of Broadcasters plan on visiting more campuses throughout Mississippi during the spring: the University of Southern Mississippi will be visited on Feb 29, Mississippi State University will be visited on Mar 19, Alcorn State University will be visited on Mar 27, and Ole Miss: University of Mississippi will be visited on Apr 03.
The Mississippi Association of Broadcasters was founded in 1941. It is a non-profit trade association for radio and television stations across Mississippi.
MAB members are offered educational seminars, legal hotlines, lobbying representation, updates on industry trends, and opportunities to network with other broadcasters.
