Kiyoshi Tomono ’02

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Journalism is a competitive field, how did you find your job?
Networking – underscore that word. Like most other industries, the system of who-you-know is alive and well in broadcasting. It was an alumnus from my grad school who helped me to get my tape to the right people, to get them to notice me and to see my potential. If I had not availed myself of the contacts that I made while in graduate school, I don’t believe I would have been as successful at landing that first job.

Did you always want to become a reporter?
Not a chance.  My path was going to lead to medicine. Growing up, I knew that I wanted to be a doctor. I loved science. I loved people. I loved the idea of combining the two to help and to make a difference. When I entered UCLA, I was pre-med, with a major in molecular biology. Then, in my junior year, I burned out. Suddenly organic chemistry and the periodic table of elements lost their magic for me. I resented the endless hours of study, the all-nighters poring over books in Powell Library, the unbelievable discipline and focused intensity of my classmates.

What prompted you to change course?
I had always enjoyed writing and journalism, and had been freelancing for the Daily Bruin since I was a freshman. After an internship at an LA-area TV station, I was hooked. Do what you love and love what you do, isn’t that what people say? I decided that what had for me been an avocation would become my vocation.

Did you have any journalism idols while you were growing up?
I don’t know if I had one idol per se, but I was always amazed by 60 Minutes. There is an ongoing mantra in local news: live, local and late-breaking. Funny. The best kind of journalism, the kind often found on 60 Minutes, is driven by the mantra: compelling, well-written and informative.

What is a typical day at work like for you?
Obscenely early hours. I’m out of bed by 2:30 a.m., and I’m on the air by 5 a.m.  Somewhere in between, I eat, take a shower, read as much news as possible and write a few stories.  After a two-hour newscast, it’s out the door to report a story that will air later in the day.

Has your impression of the media changed since you entered the field?
My impression has only gotten better. Television journalists have a bad reputation for being shallow, unintelligent and intrusive. The people I’ve worked with have been much the opposite. We don’t relish the opportunity to stick microphones in the face of the grieving mother. Some stories need to be told, but they can be gathered with compassion. In spite of its ups and downs, journalism remains, for me at least, a noble profession. The story of one person’s plight can speak for all of us. We get to expose lies at a time when it’s unpopular to do so, and to illuminate truths. I am proud to call myself a reporter.

What would you say is the biggest misconception people have about the media?
Broadcast news is not brain surgery. This much, I know. But stringing together coherent sentences during breaking news with a producer talking in your earpiece while you speak isn’t easy. Good journalists make it look that way, though.

Do you get to choose your stories?
I am a general assignment reporter, so the story selection is usually not up to me.  However, we are expected to come to our morning assignment meetings with story ideas. That’s part of the beauty of what we do. One day, we could be covering a light, feature story. The next, we’re on the frontlines of a wildfire. What’s valuable these days to local stations are folks who can do it all – from reporting news on the fly to reading the weather to delivering sports reports.

Have you encountered censorship while reporting?
In small towns the censorship can be considerable, including self-censorship. Realize that the restaurant that’s the focus of your unsanitary food preparation report may be the same restaurant that spends millions of dollars to advertise on your airwaves. But I think most stations, including the one where I work, side with the public’s right to know.

What is the most satisfying part of your job?
By far, telling stories. I think the best stories are the ones that make people feel and think. I recently did a story about a controversial ad that ran in our local newspaper. The ad for gardening services read, ‘Having problems communicating with your gardener, call us because we speak English.’ Some found the ad highly offensive, while others likened it to other ads that read ‘We speak Spanish.’ The story prompted thousands of viewers to call in and voice their opinion in a poll. The controversy made people interact and think about the world around them.

What is your dream job description?
One where I get to tell untold stories. A job where I can stick up for the little guy, even when it’s unpopular. But the one thing about this industry that is for sure is that nothing is for sure. Even the format in which news is delivered changes. The lesson in all this is to learn to adapt. The more skill sets I have, the more marketable I become. And that lesson applies to any job.