NATAS Governor, Jim Jakobs, joined with KMPH FOX26 colleagues 4/12 in a #DayofService for Sinclair Broadcast Group, “we picked up a few hundred pounds of trash on the streets of Fresno this morning. Teaming up with ‘Beautify Fresno’ was terrific.”

During last week’s stormy weather, I got my first taste of the MMJ (Multimedia Journalist) life…kind of. Before my photographer and I could meet up for our morning news live shots, his microwave truck got stuck in the mud and because of the weight, it would be hours before he could get unstuck.

That’s when my Executive Producer asked me to improvise. So, using my work phone and my personal phone, a tiny tripod atop the roof of my car, a LumeCube light and the $25 microphone I used during the pandemic’s work-from-home days, and the Dejero app, I made air. It felt like a bit of a miracle.

Now, this was likely a one-time thing for me, but it really made me appreciate what our one-man-band colleagues do every day. In our chapter’s Emmy® contest this year, we certified 37 MMJ entries; 27 in the English contest and seven in the Spanish contest. The Call for Entries specifies that Emmy awards for Multi-Media Journalists are “for excellence by a cross-discipline individual serving as photojournalist, editor, talent, and writer.” That means no other person can do anything. Nothing. But, during the Emmy certification process, some of the MMJ entries were so slick, as a certifier, I had to reach out to ask, “how did you do that all by yourself?”

Because the contest is out for judging, I won’t identify the entrants, but I will just give you some of the explanations that I got.

One MMJ told me: “I left the camera on the tripod and recorded the video and then in post-production, I added a movement in Edius to zoom in or track my movements.”

Another told me: “The moving shots were done with a Gimble, using an app that tracks my face” regarding one standup, and regarding another, “I put the camera on a tripod, then zoomed in using Premiere and added a wrap stabilizer effect.”

Flying solo definitely requires creativity, skill, and focus. I wanted to get some MMJ tips and strategies, so I reached out to Kiet Do. He has four NorCal Emmys for his work as an MMJ with CBS Bay Area KPIX but will no longer be competing in this category as he’s left news.

Here are some of Kiet’s strategies:

-Prioritize “must have,” “nice to have,” and “luxury have” elements because every decision costs time. 

-Shoot efficiently to reduce logging and editing time; pre-interview off-camera for basic facts, save on-camera interviews for emotional reaction. 

-Focus on real people first; experts or officials second.

-Put the who/what/when/where/why in the anchor toss so you can focus storytelling and/or analysis.

-Think about where you’ll write and edit early to make sure you have a strong cell signal, a bathroom and food nearby.

Some of Kiet’s favorite tools:

-iPhone: small, quick, portable, waterproof, low-profile, image stabilization. 

-Knee-high, steel-toe rubber boots: allows safe access in weather, fire scenes, encampments. 

-Otter.ai: audio transcription.

-Google Maps Offline mode: allows navigation with GPS in areas with no cell coverage.

-Drone: study up and get the FAA pilot license; you won’t regret it. 

We can’t talk about MMJ’s and one-man-bands without talking about safety. In recent years, we’ve seen colleagues harassed, robbed, and in 2022, one reporter was hit by a car while working alone.

Some stations have banned solo live shots and enacted other safety measures, but there’s always room for improvement. Your safety should always come first.

Here’s a link to the call for entries, if you want to see the language of the MMJ contest: https://emmysf.tv/awards-2-2/call-for-entries/.

A body that had washed up near Pier 39 Wednesday, March 23, has been identified as Jeffrey “JV” Vandergrift, 55. 

The beloved radio host went missing from his home in San Francsico, February 23, after battling Lyme Disease since 2021. It’s been confirmed that no foul play has been suspected. 

JV was very transparent about his journey, and shared an insightful blog post about it, here. He spoke openly about the pain he was in, the brain fog he experienced and the need for relief. 

Today, Wild 94.9 published a statement on their website that reads:

“With a heavy heart, we must confirm that the body found near Pier 39 on Wednesday afternoon has been identified as our dear friend, family member & colleague, JV. We are devastated to know now that JV is gone. Please keep his wife Natasha, his family, and close friends in your thoughts and prayers.

JV, we’ll miss you. You are forever a Bay Area Icon.”

JV’s listeners would absolutely describe him as such as well. If you tune into the JV Show, then you know the types of talk-backs that have been coming in all month long. Fans often begin their messages with, “I grew up listening to JV,” and this rings true for Bay Area listeners for nearly 30 years. JV joined Wild 94.9 in ’94 (back then it was Wild 107.7) and was best known for his humor, the way he lit up a room and for especially making his listeners feel seen, heard and valued.  

Today is a sad day, not just for Bay Area radio, but for all who knew and loved JV. 

Kris Kuyper will be joining us as our next Chief Meteorologist. His first day of work will be Monday, March 27^th.  

He’s got nearly 30 years of weather experience which includes high profile events like the major wildfires in Northern California where he was on a weather wall for 12 hours at a time.

Kris has been a chief meteorologist in several places including Chico (KNVN), Anchorage (KTVA), Bakersfield (KBAK), and Grand Junction (KREX). He earned his B.S. in Atmospheric Science from UC Davis, is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist from the American Meteorological Society and has his Seal of Approval from the National Weather Association.

Kris will have a couple of Sinclair Buddy’s when he arrives. Michael Nunez will help him with iNews, Justin Willis/Mayra Franco and Christina Lopez will help him with the weather system. I’m really excited to learn from Kris as he’s had extensive experience with WSI and Augmented Reality.

“I’m 6’ 4”, so I might be the tallest meteorologist in the Central Valley, haha. My 2 teenagers are also tall. I ran the Olympic Torch for about a block in Sacramento before the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games. My dad was an aerospace engineer, and worked on the Saturn V rockets of the Apollo program, that took men to the moon in the 1960’s and 70’s. I’m a fan of the Dodgers and Lakers, and I like to work out a bunch, so I don’t block too many temperatures on the screen, lol.” – Kris Kuyper

I send him links to my articles and packages for feedback. He always replies with suggestions for improving my storytelling and challenges me to try something new in my reporting. Mike is always upbeat, encouraging, and ready to share words of wisdom. Working with Mike has been an absolute pleasure, and I look forward to continuing working with him.

To learn more about the Mentor Match Program, become a mentor, or mentee, click here.