Terri Tolliver
Executive Producer
FOX 5 10:00 and 11:00 News
WTTG, Washington, DC
Copa: Where are you from?
Terri: I'm originally from Washington, DC, I'm a native Washingtonian.
Terri: I'm originally from Washington, DC, I'm a native Washingtonian.
Copa: Which schools have you attended?
Terri: I graduated from Bowie High School, then I attended PG Community College for 2 years. Afterwards I transferred and graduated from American University.
Terri: I graduated from Bowie High School, then I attended PG Community College for 2 years. Afterwards I transferred and graduated from American University.
Copa: What did you study?
Terri: At American University I studied Political Science and Broadcast Journalism.
Terri: At American University I studied Political Science and Broadcast Journalism.
Copa: At what time did the world of Journalism gather your interests?
Terri: Journalism grabbed me when I was very young. I remember growing up watching Renee Poussaint and Lark McCarthy. My mother has videotapes of me setting up the ironing board pretending that I am delivering a live news broadcast and walking around with a brush interviewing the dog and my brother. There's never been a time in which I never wanted to do TV news and be involved with Journalism in some kind of way.
Terri: Journalism grabbed me when I was very young. I remember growing up watching Renee Poussaint and Lark McCarthy. My mother has videotapes of me setting up the ironing board pretending that I am delivering a live news broadcast and walking around with a brush interviewing the dog and my brother. There's never been a time in which I never wanted to do TV news and be involved with Journalism in some kind of way.
Copa: How did you feel when you were finally working in an actual TV studio?
Terri: It was exciting but also very natural for me because I always wanted to do it. Even in Elementary School I would do the morning announcements, once I got into Middle School I would participate in the class Newsletter, be part of the School Paper or be part of the TV Club. Once it started happening professionally it was part of my dream coming to fruition but at the same time I was very comfortable and confident in what I was doing. I was very happy because I have always been involved with it in some kind of way.
Terri: It was exciting but also very natural for me because I always wanted to do it. Even in Elementary School I would do the morning announcements, once I got into Middle School I would participate in the class Newsletter, be part of the School Paper or be part of the TV Club. Once it started happening professionally it was part of my dream coming to fruition but at the same time I was very comfortable and confident in what I was doing. I was very happy because I have always been involved with it in some kind of way.
Copa: What was your first job in Media broadcasting?
Terri: My first legitimate job I was an intern at ABC 7 here in DC,. One day there was a plane crash, Secretary Ron Brown was on the plane and a number of other government officials. The newsroom emptied, every photography and reporter had gone out to report on this plane crash. I was still in the newsroom answering phones, there was on reporter who returned the office. At the time I was what the 'trouble shooter'' which was the new thing with "7 On Your Side." This woman who wanted to get her money back from this bad contractor for months called and said the contractor was at her house at the moment attempting to pickup his tools. So I just grabbed the photographer who had just walked into the newsroom. We ran out to the location and confronted the contractor and ended up getting the woman's money back. When I returned to the newsroom the News Director was livid because I was an Intern and had no permission to take a photographer out with me. He yelled at me for a good 20 minutes or so. After he let me go I returned to his office a few minutes later and informed him that I have been working on this story for months and finally completed it and had the woman's money returned to her. I also told him that he should not be yelling at me and should be offering me a job! I left and the next day he offered me my first job! So that's how I received my first job in television.
Terri: My first legitimate job I was an intern at ABC 7 here in DC,. One day there was a plane crash, Secretary Ron Brown was on the plane and a number of other government officials. The newsroom emptied, every photography and reporter had gone out to report on this plane crash. I was still in the newsroom answering phones, there was on reporter who returned the office. At the time I was what the 'trouble shooter'' which was the new thing with "7 On Your Side." This woman who wanted to get her money back from this bad contractor for months called and said the contractor was at her house at the moment attempting to pickup his tools. So I just grabbed the photographer who had just walked into the newsroom. We ran out to the location and confronted the contractor and ended up getting the woman's money back. When I returned to the newsroom the News Director was livid because I was an Intern and had no permission to take a photographer out with me. He yelled at me for a good 20 minutes or so. After he let me go I returned to his office a few minutes later and informed him that I have been working on this story for months and finally completed it and had the woman's money returned to her. I also told him that he should not be yelling at me and should be offering me a job! I left and the next day he offered me my first job! So that's how I received my first job in television.
Copa: What do you look for when approaching a news story?
Terri: When I look at stories I don't necessarily look at facts, I look at people and how it's going to affect others. One of the good things when I came into this business is that things are changing. It's all about connecting more with your viewers and how you are going to are going to tell that story which will make someone care. If you are talking about an apartment building that's dilapidated in Southeast
Terri: When I look at stories I don't necessarily look at facts, I look at people and how it's going to affect others. One of the good things when I came into this business is that things are changing. It's all about connecting more with your viewers and how you are going to are going to tell that story which will make someone care. If you are talking about an apartment building that's dilapidated in Southeast
