Quincy University offered students of QU Media a trip to the Illinois Broadcasters Association where the event, “Local Broadcast: Discover Your Super Power!” was held Oct. 23 to 24. The second day featured breakfast and lunch, a discussion panel of student journalists, a presentation for local broadcasters having certain advantages over larger news companies, and Hollywood actor Jeff Perry was a keynote speaker.

Kai Grover, a junior and student at QU, participated in the student journalist panel, answering questions and giving suggestions to other aspiring young student journalists and managers looking to hire.

“As a social media marketing intern, we’re using social media to further our marketing and business. The industry is getting very fast and very short. Everybody likes something simple quick, straight to the point, and I’m not sure that that’s the best way that we should be going because when it comes to news, some things need to be explained,” Grover said.

IBA Hall of Fame Inductee Jeff Perry spoke also about the role of local broadcasters in society.

“Broadcasters, that’s a really broad definition. They can be reporters, they can be entertainers, be weather women and weather men. They can be a lot of different things,” Perry said.

Perry talked about his days when he co–founded Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago and drew comparisons between his theatre troupe and broadcasting, as both have to choose content for public viewing and deliver it within a timely manner.

Afterward, there was another panel of young journalists and a manager who shared their experience of getting into the field of journalism. The panel was moderated by QU Assistant Professor Nora Baldner. The panel shared information about diversifying one’s skill sets, being willing to move out of state for the job, and being able to take rejection.

The IBA conference provided student and veteran journalists with plenty of information and hope with in the field of local broadcast.