My path to the anchor desk

My work ID 20 years ago

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Earlier this week I realized today (June 25) marks my 20 year anniversary in the news business. I had graduated college six months earlier and was working as an assistant manager at Chuck E. Cheese Pizza in Cape Girardeau. I finally decided it was time to get serious about my career search so I moved back to St. Louis. I had a freelance writing gig for a local newspaper and was substitute teaching until summer break started. 

Then I started working for a division of McDonnell Douglas changing out hardware on employee computers. It was the furthest thing in the world I wanted to do, but with a wedding one year away and no other source of income I happily showed up to work each day.

One night I saw an opening in the paper (the internet was still pretty new) for a Broadcast Assistant at KMOV. Basically it was a person who separated scripts for the anchors, producer and director and ran the Teleprompter during the 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. I knew I was not going to land a reporting job in a top 25 market right out of school so at least getting my foot in the door could help me start networking with other journalists. I applied and got a call a short time later that the job had been filled. It was a 13 week position and I'd be added to the list of interested candidates for the next cycle. 

I was getting ready to leave to cover a city council meeting for the paper when my phone rang. On the other end was Aleta Harris, the executive producer at KMOV. She informed me the person they hired didn't show up and if I wanted the job it was mine. I eagerly accepted and was told I'd start the next day.

Julius Hunter & Larry Conners

That day was the first time I'd ever been inside a newsroom. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was 3 p.m. and there was a hustle and bustle going on with reporters, producers and photographers moving around the room. Copies of scripts were being printed. Writers were typing away feverishly at their desks. Anchors asked questions about content and what the plan was for the night.

Margie Ellisor
Courtesy: Fox 2 News

I was in awe. I soaked it in while trying not to be a fan boy. I had grown up in St. Louis and seeing the likes of Julius Hunter and Larry Conners in person was a nerdy news fan's grew come true. I also had a chance that evening to meet Margie Ellisor, someone who would become a mentor to me once I transitioned into a permanent job at KMOV. My 13 weeks ended and I was hired on as a production assistant. 

A tough assignment as KMOV
Arm wrestling the Honky Tonk Man

I worked any and all shifts, but primarily was on the morning show, where I bonded with Margie and her co anchor Marc Cox and reporter Kathryn Jamboretz. The three offered me so much advice and encouragement during my year long stint that I'll be forever grateful. They'd take me out on stories with them, help me shoot stand ups and do whatever it took to prepare my own resume tape. Margie also took me out for my first wrestler meeting with the Honky Tonk Man (another fanboy moment).

20 years later with the News 3 This Morning on air team

Fast forward to today and I would have never in a million years imagined I'd still be in the business and anchoring the morning news. I started here at WSIL in 2004 and have been given some amazing opportunities. I can only sum up the last 20 years with one word: grateful. Thanks to all who have influenced and been a part of this journey.

The Time I Dropped the F Bomb on the Air

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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I post this as I am confident that the statute of limitations has long passed since the incident.  I've already told my current boss the story and he's forgiven me, so I should avoid any trouble at work.  It was late 1998 or early 1999, and I was the news director as well as 6pm news anchor and producer and one-man band reporter.  As you've probably gathered, it was a small station. We all screwed up on a consistent basis.  Equipment failed as well. 

The combination of human and mechanical errors had come together one night in the early stages of the newscast.  My co-anchor and I would alternate reading stories and sending it to a soundbite or a package and no video would come up.  Since I was the producer too, we didn't have anyone in the control room to tell us what was happening.  That was the role of the director at this particular station.  And for whatever reason that night he wasn't communicating with us.

The gang

After five or six failures, a soundbite finally started playing.   That's when I blurted out in frustration "What the f*** is going on in there?"  Seconds later, the floor director's face turned pale.  He mouthed to me that my mic was open and my words went out over the air loud and clear.  I was so embarrassed and then immediately worried about my future in broadcasting. Not only had I dropped the F bomb on live TV, but I did it while the Alabama state school superintendent was on the air and supposed to be talking.  Instead viewers saw his lips moving with the F word loud and clear coming from my mouth.

As I mentioned the station was quite small and the management had a very indifferent attitude about things.  Little did we know at the time, plans were already underway to cease the news operations in a few months.  At any other station in the country I would have at least gotten into some kind of trouble.  My GM chuckled about it the next day as he recalled my foul mouthed message.  I think maybe one or two viewers called in, also punctuating the lack of viewers we had.  

But I learned a valuable lesson as a result. Even when you think the mic isn't open, it probably is.  I was lucky it happened at a station where the rules were more lax than other markets.  I didn't even get a slap on the wrist for the bomb dropped that night.

The Nerd Behind Nerd Shirt Thursday

Nerd Shirt Thursday

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

This is a long overdue entry, as we've been doing Nerd Shirt Thursday at my work for about six months now.  It's a concept (now former) News 3 This Morning producer Weston "Dub Dub" White came up with.  The premise is simple.  Each Thursday coworkers are encouraged to wear a "nerd" shirt to work.  Because I can't wear tshirts on the air, I always wear mine under my shirt and tie.  After the show each week, we take a pic to share with the world.

Weston as Capt. America

So what's a nerd shirt?  Pretty much anything with a comic book character, movie, or pop culture reference.  The rules aren't too strict, but the nerdier the better, especially if you can accessorize.  It's something that has gained momentum in the newsroom and my Facebook friends wait each week to see who will be featured on our chests next.  As I mentioned Weston came up with the idea and we've carried it out in the weeks since his departure from WSIL.  I'm going to use the rest of this blog to talk more about my friend.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Day 2011

I met Weston when he joined News 3 This Morning in July 2010.  It didn't take long to become friends, especially after he professed his love for wrestling and The Simpsons.  He came into the job already "getting it."  He's a natural writer and understands the facets involved in putting together a newscast.  I remember my coanchor Emily Eddington and I came up with a list of things to help ease him into the position, but we never even gave it to him.  He already understood what to do, and this was his first TV gig.

Wrasslin' 

I literally laughed every day that Weston was at work.  Many times it was a loud belly laugh that produced tears.  Sometimes this happened on the air, depending on what he was saying in our ear pieces.  Of course when the work was done, there was always a little time for horseplay.  As I mentioned, he too is a wrestling fan and more than once I found myself getting picked up and flung around the room.  I'd be interested to see if there are any other producer/anchor combos like this in newsrooms across America.

The Shopping Ninja

It wasn't just behind the scenes that we had the fun.  Weston brought new ideas that made for great television as well.  In 2011 he found someone willing to come in and instruct Emily on how to zap me with a taser live on the air.  It's still one of the most memorable moments of my career.  He's dressed like "The Shopping Ninja" in preparation for Black Friday and was the brain child behind "The Morning News Anchor Challenge", a good concept, but unfortunately ended up getting shelved after three days.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

He created a cartoon character named Humphrey, started doing "Wrestling Banana Art", and even dressed like me for Halloween one year.  Weston is a unique guy, an outstanding producer, and even better friend.  This blog merely scratches the surface.  You can see from the pics, that we always had a good time.  I miss him, but I know he's doing well in the next chapter of his life.  Thanks for the memories Dub Dub.

Saying Goodbye to Myself

Edan's going away party

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

For nearly eleven years I have worked at the same TV station, WSIL.  I've made many friends while here, including Edan Schultz, the 6 and 10 o'clock anchor and managing editor for the station.

Edan had been with the station more than 19 years and just recently announced that he was leaving for Florida.  His wife found a great job there.  Friends, colleagues, and family members recorded heartfelt well wishes to the long time journalist. The theme was the same in all of them:  Edan is a great guy.  A mentor.  A friend to all who knew him.

New Year's Eve 80's Style
Edan: Blockbuster guy, Me: Papa Smurf, Chad: Mr. Mullet

I echoed those same sentiments in my goodbye to him.  We've shared plenty of good times together, including New Years Eve celebrations, Thanksgiving dinners, and time out on Crab Orchard Lake.  My kids used to call him Uncle Edan and we'd ring his doorbell every year at Halloween.  We hung out with various coworkers until the wee hours of the morning talking about everything you can imagine.

Edan with my daughter

One of my favorite Edan memories from work happened when I first started working at WSIL.  It was before I'd moved to the morning show and was reporting nightside on a new "gentlemen's club" that had moved into the area.  There was a church group protesting the club and I was doing a live shot from the parking lot for the 10 o'clock news.  

Hanging out at the lake

I remember standing there, ready to go on, somewhat nervous as drunk college guys staggered behind me before we went on air.  Then I hear Edan's toss to me and he says "News 3's Kevin Hunsperger has been at the strip club all night, and join us with more."  It took everything I had to not laugh at that, as I wondered if our viewers thought I was inside with dollar bills in hand waiting to file my report.

Even though I'm a few months older, I always looked up to Edan.  He's been a great mentor to me and countless others.  Our boss called him the backbone of the newsroom, and I think that's a very fitting description.  Edan sleeps, eats, and breathes news, and we're all the better because of it.  He'll be missed.  And even though some viewers confuse the two of us, I hope I have just a fraction of the impact Edan has had on this region.  

I realize that some of this sounds like I'm writing his eulogy, but I've been thinking about the idea of telling the people you appreciate and respect while they're still around to hear it.  I look back a couple of years ago when I gave my grandma's eulogy and I wish now that I'd said those things TO her and not ABOUT her.  So I think it's perfectly fine to show a little (or a lot) of love to the people you think are worthy of it.  So be ready for more appreciation blogs here on My 1-2-3 Cents.

When I Grow Up...

I once wanted to be the real Scooby Doo. LOL

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

When I was in second grade, I had my first revelation about what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I can still remember proudly announcing it on the playground that my goal in life was to be... Scooby Doo.  Yes, the animated Great Dane.  Not the guy who voiced the famous cartoon dog.  Not the person who drew Scooby or even the one wrote the scripts for the show.  I wanted to be a cartoon dog.

Proud owner of Kevin's Pets

It wasn't much later in that same year that I came to the realization that that simply wasn't going to happen.  I don't remember the exact moment when it hit me, but I decided to switch gears and focus my future on owning a pet shop.  My mom made an apron with "Kevin's Pets" on the front when we had career day at school.

By fourth grade, my focus shifted again.  I wanted to be a rock star.  However, I had no musical experience except for those fancy little recorders we had to play during music class.  I couldn't (and still can't sing) and I ended up dropping out of middle school band in seventh grade.  As elementary school was wrapping up, I declared my intentions to become a writer.  I wanted to write books and actually found a lot of enjoyment in writing short stories.  I still like writing, I just wish I was a better storyteller.

High school me, DJ wanna be

Finally in high school I got a bit more focused on what I wanted to do.  I still wish I would have worked more on writing and gotten involved with the school newspaper, but hindsight is 20/20.  My junior year I took a new class called Current Events.  In it, we learned about the stock market, resume writing, and even had a mock job interview.  This is where one of the most embarrassing moments in my high school career happened.

During my interview, which was in front of the entire class, I told the teacher playing the role of the employer that I wanted to be a disc jockey.  Things were going well up until the point he said, "Let me hear your radio voice.  What would you say on the air?" I froze.  I hadn't thought that far ahead.  I could feel a cold sweat starting.  My mouth got dry and my throat tightened.  In my best "DJ" sounding voice, I sputtered a bunch of nonsense as quickly as I could.  I created some goofy name like "Crazy Kevin" or something like that.  It was horrid.  I could hear chuckles from behind me as my classmates obviously were laughing at me and not with me.  The teacher looked at me and said, "You've got some work to do on that." but was not overly critical.

It really wasn't until I got into college that I actually took some initiative and started writing for the Capaha Arrow, the student newspaper at Southeast Missouri State University.  I also volunteered at the student radio station and helped run cameras for an upper level video class.

I think all these aspirations helped lead me to the path I finally ended up on.  I love my job as a journalist and I enjoy being a part of a fun and successful news team at WSIL.  I guess I didn't turn out too bad, considering I wanted to be a cartoon dog at one point in my life.