#PointParkProud: Broadcasting Grad Royce Jones '20 is an Anchor/Reporter for KDKA-TV Alumni Profile
Meet Royce Jones '20
- Job Title & Employer
- Anchor/Reporter, KDKA/WPCW-TV
- Major/Program
- Broadcast Reporting
- Hometown
- New Kensington, Pa.
- High School
- Valley High School
- Now Living In
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Hobbies & Interests
- Fitness, cycling, music, trying new coffee shops, wreath making, sketching, painting
"I always like to say, Point Park University supplied me with the tools I needed to achieve success. The small class sizes really opened the door for a lot of one-on-one critique and feedback from professors, many of whom are absolutely outstanding in their respective crafts with expansive resumes and career experience."
September 2023: Please note, since this story published on March 15, 2020, Royce Jones is no longer employed with KDKA-TV.
What factors led you to pursue a degree from Point Park University’s School of Communication?
Once I decided I wanted to pursue a career in the communications industry, I started searching for schools in the Pittsburgh area with the best programs. I very quickly stumbled across Point Park University. I toured the campus with my mom and we both fell in love. It was far enough from home where I would still have room to spread my wings and be independent, but close enough where I could still be near my family and see them frequently. The funny thing is, I was originally interested in pursuing a talk radio career but during my meeting with the registrar's office, I was convinced to give television a try. So, I did. And I'm so happy I took the advice.
In what ways has your college experience and training prepared you for your career in broadcasting?
I always like to say, Point Park University supplied me with the tools I needed to achieve success. The small class sizes really opened the door for a lot of one-on-one critique and feedback from professors, many of whom are absolutely outstanding in their respective crafts with expansive resumes and career experience. I applied that wealth of knowledge in school-associated spaces, like U-View and Point News, and then started expanding my talents and services off-campus.
I was able to secure a fellowship with the Emma Bowen Foundation (a non-profit organization for communication students of color) and a multi-year news internship with KDKA-TV. I eventually landed my first on-camera job, working for WTRF in Wheeling, W.Va.
Tell us about your current job.
In my role, I'm responsible for generating relevant and impactful story pitches, finding the proper people to interview for those stories, conducting those interviews, writing the stories (often multiple versions and angles for different newscasts), coordinating with the photographers/editors on how we can make those stories visually compelling for our medium, and then presenting the finished product to our viewers.
The biggest challenge for me is time. Almost like an artist, it's super easy to become consumed by a story/project and want to spend a ton of time scrutinizing and perfecting it. However, the deadlines are tough and sometimes you just have to say to yourself "It's fine the way it is. Walk away!"
I would say some of the most rewarding aspects of this career are meeting the remarkable people in the communities we cover, getting results for them through good journalism and telling stories that challenge thoughts, open minds and make an overall impact for the greater good.
Final thoughts?
No matter the career you want to pursue, fight so hard for it that it would be close to impossible for others not to recognize your ambition, passion and talent.