A Journey in Journalism

Four local women pursue careers in media, business and beyond

By Andrea Busche

For those with a background in journalism, the list of career options is seemingly endless. From writing and reporting to business and entrepreneurship, the knowledge acquired through the study of journalism can open many doors — for those with the curiosity to knock.

Today, we share the unique stories of four local women with backgrounds in this profession:

Renee Passal, who has a degree in broadcast journalism, is a reporter/anchor for WDIO-TV. For many local residents, watching Passal report the news is part of their daily routine.

Lisa Neitzel earned a double major in broadcast journalism and political science. She was part of the team that started WDIO's “Good Morning Northland” program, and was at WDIO for nearly seven years before leaving to work for an advertising agency in town. She worked as an account manager for almost 10 years prior to starting her own business, Surge Communications, in 2011.

Melinda Lavine, who majored in English and communications, is a features reporter at the Duluth News Tribune. Her main areas of focus include human interest, home, faith, health and food stories, along with movie reviews.

Connie Wirta, who has a degree in journalism and public relations, worked for four daily newspapers, including the News Tribune, for over 27 years. Wirta retired from Essentia Health’s marketing and communications department April 9, 2021.

All four women have successfully used their knowledge of journalism in a variety of ways. And, they each have some advice to impart to anyone looking to enter the field.

Renee Passal

Passal explained a bit about her highly visible career.

“I help generate stories, write them, sometimes shoot them, and then share them with viewers during the 5 p.m. show,” she said. “My work also airs at 6 p.m. and sometimes 10 p.m. Plus, I post stories on our website and social media platforms.

“I also help produce the 5 p.m. show, which means I am part of gathering the stories and placing them in a particular order throughout the day,” she added. “My beat is the Iron Range, and I cover mining, shipping and general stories up there.”

When it comes to advice for others, Passal shared: “Be curious. Take classes in political science, math and science. You'll need those to tell good stories. Get good at asking questions, but in a non-confrontational way. Ask people, ‘How do you know that?’ Be genuine when you're building relationships; that's what makes this job so fun. Be honest and upfront with people. Be empathetic, and try to look at things from other people's perspectives.

“Finally, be accountable when you make a mistake. Then learn from it.”

Continued on page 8

Neitzel said of her business: “I am the owner/president of Surge Communications, Innovations & Online Services, a fullservice marketing, advertising, PR and online services agency. My amazing team and I serve many clients — from bigger corporations to small businesses and nonprofits.”

Neitzel offered a few tips for up-and-coming journalists.

“I was lucky to be working in the journalism industry at a time when I had a team of co-workers to do the producing of the shows, shooting and editing for reporting, camera and teleprompter, etc., for the news. I see a trend that has been happening for a while where reporters often shoot and edit their own stories, and anchors produce their own show. My advice is to be prepared and learn it all while in college so you can meet the current needs of the industry.

“And also, keep in mind that there are really no ‘normal’ hours in broadcast news — it’s early mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays, too. That was the main reason I decided to go into advertising and PR when I did — I wanted my schedule to be more like the typical 9-5 workday.”

Lavine told us about her role at the News Tribune.

“My job duties include planning my content, interviewing sources, going on shoots with photographers and digital producers, writing, working my stories and occasional photos up for our websites, and posting the Duluth Media Group’s content to my Twitter account. On the digital side, I occasionally record video that accompanies my stories, and I’ve helped record the Lifestyle Report for our ‘DNT Minute’ podcast.

“But, a lot of this is about being in the community,” she added. “Keeping my eyes and ears open for what’s going on and the people behind it.”

Regarding advice for new journalists, Lavine said: “Get as much experience as you can in different areas of journalism. I interned as a photographer, news and features reporter at my college TV station and, at my college newspaper, I was an editor/page designer, columnist and reporter. If we had a radio station, I would’ve tried that, too. This laid a solid foundation for my career and figuring out what interested me. Also, the concepts I learned are still present in what I do today.

“Follow your curiosity, and always pack a second writing tool,” she added. “And ask for help when you need it.”

Continued on page 10

Bottom left: Melinda Lavine interviews members of Ghostbusters North on June 3, 2021. The local group of "Ghostbusters" fans appear in parades and parties, and donate all of their proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House.

Bottom right: Melinda Lavine tries her hand at rock climbing during a February 2019 interview with the North Shore Vertigals, a local group of all-female identifying climbers who teach and share the love of the sport. Their mission: "to unite female (cis and trans), trans people of all genders, and gender non-conforming climbers of the Twin Ports."

Connie Wirta

Most recently, and up until her retirement, Wirta was an editor and communications specialist for Essentia’s Vision Northland project.

“I was responsible for both internal (employee) and external (community; some media requests) communications,” she explained.

“I developed a communications plan and did a variety of writing such as press releases, advertisements, website copy and memos. I also worked on videos, informational meetings for employees and the community, and events.”

In her newspaper days, Wirta worked as a news reporter, feature writer and in a number of assigning editor roles. She was metro editor at the Evansville (Indiana) Press, where she ran the newsroom under the managing editor and editor. At the News Tribune, she was an assistant city editor and then features editor.

“I worked on Essentia’s communications team for the last 13 years and had a variety of roles, including the website, a magazine and brand journalism before working on Vision Northland,” she said.

Reflecting back on several decades in journalism, Wirta generously offered some useful advice.

“The best journalists I have known are curious and committed,” she said. “They see their work as a calling. They understand the responsibility they have to their readers and the community they serve.”

“My other advice is to read good writing of all kinds because it makes you a better writer. The only way to get better at writing is to write, and then write some more.”

What they Love

Each of these four women have used a background in journalism to achieve their individual, and varied, career dreams. When it comes to their favorite parts of the job, their answers differed, too.

“I love being out in the field and meeting people who are passionate about what they do,” Passal said. “Then, it's like putting together a puzzle. You take their input and interview, combine them with visuals and some creative writing, to make an interesting, informative or even entertaining story for people. I am still learning every day on this job. And that's what makes it so interesting! The Northland is a special place, and I'm very proud to be a part of it.”

“I love working with people,” Neitzel said. “I love to see business owners and nonprofit organizations succeed and grow, with help from Surge. I also love to network, and these networks have helped me in many aspects of new business development.”

“As a reporter and writer,” Wirta said, “my greatest privilege was sharing people’s stories with readers. I loved interviewing people, earning their trust and then doing my best to tell their stories.” reporter) and Christa Lawler (arts and entertainment) were among the reporters who met with me. At the end of our talk, I asked them what they loved about their jobs. Sam said, ‘People invite you into their sacred space.’ Years later, when I shifted from editing to writing full time, I knew what he meant. And, I still know.” D