Several weeks ago, I was privileged to be interviewed by WPSD reporter, Pauline Fitzgerald, as the subject of a human-interest feature concerning macular degeneration. To say that it was an interesting experience is an understatement! Pauline and Jason, the cameraman, were easy and fun to work with, and although I’ve never been the shy type, I did feel out of my comfort zone being on camera. The two of them, however, made me feel comfortable, and before I knew it, I forgot about the cameras and was able to focus on why I was doing the interview, to share my experiences in the hope of helping others. As I type this now, I am using IrisVision, a device that can change the lives of the legally blind or anyone with low vision.. I could not see to type this without it, so I continue to promote it. Spread the word!
However, that is not the focus of my blog today. Watching Pauline do her job and viewing her in the mornings on WPSD Local 6 each day made me curious about her and others in her profession. She graciously agreed to answer my questions, and I hope you enjoy learning more about her and what it’s like to work in the news media as much as I did.
Pauline, I know your schedule is very busy, so your willingness to do this earns you major points and a lifetime fan! First, tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up? Attend college? What about your connection to Italy?Pam, we’re so glad that we made you feel comfortable, but more importantly – we’re honored to be able to tell your story to help others in our community.
My schedule is pretty busy – you got that right! I was born in Belgium, moved to Italy for a short amount of time, and moved to Connecticut where I spent most of my childhood. My mother is 100% Italian, and my father, from Chicago, is 100% American (of Irish and English descent.) I got the best of both worlds. As for my connection to Italy, I would spend every summer there growing up. Half of my family is still over there, and I have a lot of friends over there that I grew up with. I’m still close to a lot of them. I attended college at the University of Alabama, majoring in Journalism and Italian Literature with a minor in Political Science. Growing up in New England, I wanted to venture out. The south was the perfect place to start.
When did you first become interested in a career in broadcasting? Growing up in a mixed household has opened the door for a lot of different opportunities to travel to different places, meet different people, and spark a curiosity for a lot of different things. That’s mainly why I wanted to become a journalist. I’m just so curious about everything. I’m honored to be a platform to inform people on a multitude of different subjects. I love it.
I am assuming you had to do one or more internships and possibly had a paid position with another station. Where have you worked besides in Paducah, and how were those experiences different? I’ve done several internships throughout my college career. Some included working as a public relations and communications intern for the Italian Parliament, writing press releases on an hourly deadline in both Italian and English. I was a public speaker and translator at the Parliament in both Italian and English for multiple discussions. I also was a photography intern for a German-Italian magazine. I also interned and volunteered throughout my time at Alabama. I volunteered to teach Italian for a year at a local elementary school in Tuscaloosa and interned for a nutrition magazine (hence my interest and passion for health) ,and interned for the university’s television station, WVUA 23 News. I was an editor and a reporter.
Tell us what a typical day is like for you. The beauty of this job is – there is no typical day. No day is like any other. I usually wake up any time between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. (no, it’s not easy, and no, I haven’t gotten used to it, yet.) I usually get in by 4:30 a.m., depending on what I’m covering that day. The morning newscast at WPSD is from 4:30 a.m. until 7:00 a.m., and as a reporter, my “live shots” (remote reports) are around 5:38, 5:52, 6:00, 6:08, and 6:38. So there is a lot of airtime but also a lot of time to get creative. Sometimes it can be stressful, but I love it.
My son once worked as an assistant producer at WPSD. Can you explain to my readers what a producer does and how that role affects your job? Producers make the show go on! Well, everyone plays a part in the show. We have different duties. Producers are in charge of essentially putting the newscast together, deciding what is newsworthy to mention to our viewers, and write up a lot of the content in the newscast. They’re constantly having to stay updated with what’s going on in the world, the nation, and in our backyards to inform properly. They’re all really creative people – reporters and producers work together as a team to tell someone’s story in a meaningful but informative way.
I love the health segments you have in the mornings. How do you come up with ideas? I’m not going to lie, I love them, too. And I’m not saying that because I’m doing them – I’m saying that because I LOVE learning about health. I love learning about the body, what is good for it, what certain diseases, illnesses, and syndromes look like, and how to reverse them. I’m constantly reading books on health. I have book shelves full of them. You can never stop learning. Long story short, I went through my own health transformation a couple years back, and ever since, have felt inspired to share “hacks” and knowledge to people about health. Whether the topic is exercise, diet, or simply sharing what people can do to better themselves, it makes me feel like I’m making a difference. A lot of people don’t take their health seriously, and I want to make sure I’m opening their eyes to realize that we only have one body – take care of it.
When you and Jason were at my house, I noticed he used the large camera and you used your phone. I was surprised by that because I always thought there was just the “official” camera. When did reporters start using phones for interviews? Yes, that big ole camera weighs a lot! She is our best friend, though. We always stick to the big camera for interviews, but we like to use other devices like GoPros or phone camera to get different angles. We are all about angles, and the more footage we get, the easier it is to edit the story. Not only that, but I LOVE capturing moments. I love seeing things through the lens. That’s another reason why I love this job
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What is the best part of your job? What is the hardest? Great questions. There are a lot of great things about the job that make the hardships worth it. I think I would have to say my favorite thing about this job is I feel like I can leave a physical, emotional, and mental impact on people. That’s important to me – leaving a mark on people. I feel like I’ve come into this world to leave it better than how I found it, and that’s what I can do by doing this job, all while being able to educate myself and others more on some passions of mine. The hardest part is mainly the 3:00 a.m. wake up call. It’s just brutal. It’s difficult for me to get out of bed. Another hardship, and I think this goes for any industry, I’m still very new at my job. I’m not even two years in yet. I still have a lot to learn, and sometimes I feel like I trail behind more than others when it comes to learning. I try my best every day.
Do you wear your own clothes and do your own makeup? Yes to both. I’m fortunate that my mother has some great taste and loves shopping for clothes for me in Italy. I’m sure many of you know, Italians have great sense of fashion. The makeup aspect was more difficult for me – I was never one to really wear makeup before I got a job at WPSD. I think it’s fun putting it on every day, but I also love the days I don’t have to wear any…but you don’t want to see that!
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in broadcasting? Go for it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. This job allows you endless opportunities of knowledge, growth, and most importantly, helping, informing, and leaving an impact on people’s lives. What is better than that?
Is there anything you’d like to add? Thank you so much for your curiosity in what I do. I’m always delighted to share more about it, hopefully to inspire others to follow the same path!
You do a great job, and I enjoy watching you and the others each morning! Your job sounds interesting to me and makes me wish I could go back in time and possibly do the same (except for the early rising part). I am especially fascinated about your experiences in Italy and your knowledge of the language because I majored in Spanish and minored in French and wanted to learn Italian eventually.
Thanks, Pauline, for your time and for featuring me in one of your health segments. And thanks to you and the morning team for providing me with the perfect show to watch while I have my morning coffee. I’ll be following your career, you can bet on that!
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Life As I know it 