Craig Melvin is leaving WIS Columbia for the big leagues

I read in yesterday's edition of The State newspaper that WIS-TV anchor Craig Melvin is leaving his current position in Columbia for one at a top 10 station in Washington D.C. This is a big accomplishment.
In the years before his decision to leave Columbia, Craig has grown as a journalist and has won many awards including an Emmy, I believe.
I've watched Craig for many years on the tube, some while I was in high school in Florence and more when I moved to Columbia to attend USC. And for a twentysomething, he seems to have worked very hard to accomplish many things in our field. To me, he demonstrates that what you put into a job is what you get out of it.
It can be difficult for people (like me) in their early twenties to understand this concept. You’re young and something seems to remind you everyday of how much you really DON’T know. Plus, you fight against what seems like a pre-programmed desire to just do the minimum and call it a wrap. But, you’ve got to be the master of your own fate, keep pressing forward and continue demanding more of yourself.
Now, I know some aspiring anchors and many of them don't seem to understand that it takes, among other things, drive, hard work and a magnetic personality to really excel in a business like ours— a business where we find ourselves either generously admired or mercilessly scrutinized by the public.
This is true in print and broadcast, though I think you tv people face the bigger challenge here.
When I think about it, it’s so much more than coming in, doing your assigned story and going home. You have to show initiative and really dig deep if you want to be the best journalist you can possibly be.
I don’t know Craig, the person who inspired this entry, personally but I am really proud of him because I love to see people doing well and doing what makes them happy.

Log In | Register as a new member