Power Women STORY BY LUCY HONEYCHURCH
VIPSEEN EXCLUSIVE
JULIE NEWMAN ANCHOR, NEWS 5 WCYB
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ulie Newman is persistent. And it is that persistence, one of her many driving forces, that she credits with getting her where she is today. “If I had not pushed for my first job interview, I would be dreaming about a career in the news business, rather than living that dream. I believe success is about the decisions you make, not just in your career, but also in your life.” Like most of us, Newman figured out what she wanted to do when she was a college student. A public speaking class at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia sparked something in the sophomore. “I watched so many of my classmates struggle with anxiety about standing up and speaking in front of a crowd. But it came so easily to me! And I knew right away I wanted to be a reporter.” Julie Newman, fresh with the knowledge of what she wanted to do, now had to carve her own path; not an easy task.
But Newman had no idea how to turn her dream into a reality. How does one become a reporter? How does one get started in television news? “I was internalizing these questions when one of my professors pulled me into an impromptu meeting and said, ‘Julie, what do you want to do with your life?’” She told the professor her story, and then he made a call that would change the young woman’s life. “He picked up the phone and called the local ABC affiliate in Norfolk, Virginia and spoke with the executive producer.” He said, “I have a student eager to learn more about the news business. Can she shadow one of your reporters for a day?” She spent the next Friday following around a reporter, covering a fire and watching a live report. It ignited a fire in Newman that still burns today. From there she applied for a job in the production department. “I wanted to get my foot in the door, so I applied for a job as a production assistant in a top 40 market, even though I had not finished my degree.” But the interview did not go off without a hitch: a few actually. Persistence, again, was the deciding factor in helping Julie out when all else seemed to fail. “I was granted an interview, but the manager cancelled on me. So we rescheduled and he cancelled again. I called him back and said, ‘I can meet you anytime, at your convenience, even with little notice. I can do this job and I will work harder than anyone, if you give me a chance.’” The manager offered Newman the job, but it came with a warning, “Don’t make me regret this,” he said. So she set about doing everything she could to show her worth. 40
march 2017 | www.vipseenmag.com
Moxie, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is “force of character, determination, or nerve” and moxie is certainly a characteristic that defines Julie Newman. “I became the go-to girl. I was eager and helpful at every turn. I was promoted three times and earned the opportunity to cover some stories on the weekends. Three years later, I turned in my resignation to move to New York with my fiancé. But, to this day, one of my proudest moments was when he told me I was one of the best hires he had ever made and said, ‘If I could hire a thousand ‘Julies’, I would.’” The move to New York proved fruitful on several fronts. Newman was able to get a job as a reporter, was soon promoted to anchor, and eventually managing editor. She married and had her first child. A move back to Roanoke to be near family, a second child later, and Julie was ready to dive back into her career. “I went to work at the PBS station that served the Tri-Cities. I was producing documentaries and interviewing A-list celebrities like Brad Paisley, Jane Seymour, and Phil Donahue. It was exciting work that earned me 15 national, regional, and statewide awards; including four