Anchors give students the inside scoop

NBC 12 and Fox anchor Curt Autry sings the lyrics to “Fergalicious” as he tests the studio microphone, two minutes before broadcasting live for “Fox News at 10.”

Co-anchor Diane Walker makes some glances at her makeup in the mirror before going on the air.

The floor director counts down in seconds and yells “standby.” Then the Fox studio goes live.

Before going on the air, the anchors shared their personal lives with some VCU students.

A Richmond native and University of Virginia graduate, Diane Walker purchased her first motorcycle in May 2006.

As a beginner motorcyclist, Walker describes the excitement behind her new hobby. She says it gives her a great sense of freedom. Walker is a sorority alumnus, and enjoys a variety of music.

At the age of 20, while reporting, Walker saw a dead body with smoke coming from it on a railroad track. Unfortunately for Walker, she arrived at the scene before medical examiners came to conceal the electrocuted body.

Other tales from Walker’s early career are less gruesome. Once on live television, she couldn’t resist laughing while covering a story about a cross-dressing man.

She once wore an afro-style Foxy Brown wig on the studio set for Halloween.

Autry, her co-anchor of 13 years, also shared his career experiences.

Autry originally is from Oklahoma City, located in tornado alley. His first experience with broadcast news was at the age of 15.

He observed the local news station covering a scene after a tornado and was fascinated by the process of media coverage. Autry says that life as a news anchor is interesting every day, and no two days are alike.

He reveals that during the 25 years of his journalism career, the most interesting experience was in 1991 when Saddam Hussein set fire to oil wells in Kuwait after the Gulf War.

Autry says the conditions were harsh during his one-week journey in the desert of Kuwait with an Okalahoma oil company that specialized in extinguishing oil fires.

“Even in the day you couldn’t tell whether it was night or day because the oil fumes just made it black,” Autry said. “You couldn’t see the sun because the clouds were so thick from all the oil. All the oil seeped into your pores and it was 100 degrees.”

Autry talks of another passion.

“From the time I was in high school, I’ve always wanted to write fiction and to write a novel,” Autry said.

In June 2002 he published his first novel, “The Reunion,” a World War II spy thriller. His upcoming novel will be published in the summer of 2007.

Both anchors emphasize the importance of education and explain that success in broadcast journalism takes more than glamorous looks.

“Some of the kids I see coming as interns seem to be preoccupied with the cosmetic angles of TV,” Autry said. ” I don’t care if you look like Paris Hilton,; if you can’t put a story together and if you can’t write, then you’re no use to this TV station.”

Autry says that looking good is a minor factor in broadcast journalism, but to effectively communicate to people and to articulate the facts are more vital skills.

“Get the glitter out of the eyes,” Walker said, agreeing with Autry. Journalists need “excellent command in the English language, a firm foundation in grammar and to be able to communicate.”

“You have to have tenacity,” Walker said. “Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Tenacity will take you a long way.”