About me.
2nd year CPUT Journalism student, with a keen
interest in TV broadcasting and a love affair with chocolates and gin! TV Presenter
for CTV AND NACTV, former ETV, Smile FM and Good hope FM intern. Life motto:
A selfie a day keeps the doctor away!
News has always been the prime factor of my career, I knew I had a chance at this journalism career when I entered the ETV building which was then in Kloof Street, as a job shadow student under the guidance of Journalist Lance Witten. I’ll never forget the day. Witten was scheduled to go on air at 13:15 to read his sport bulletin, it was my 5th day shadowing him, he grabbed my hand and asked me ‘would you like to go see where I read the bulletin from?” An overly excited 17 year old me smiled so widely that I yelled YES at the top of my lungs (one would swear Lance asked me to marry him that day!)
We walked down the
stairs so fast (Lance was late, he had to be in his anchor seat at 13:10, to
read at 13:15, we got to studio 13:14!” he turned to me after closing the door
and said “switch your phone off, don’t make a sound, don’t touch anything and
stand still!” Of course I listened, but my excitement was just so overwhelming
I couldn’t believe I was standing in the very same place where the news anchors
anchor live bulletins.
As soon as Lance got
off air, the show went to an ad break. Lance then took me over to meet Andrew
Barnes and Bhavna Singh who were then the News day anchors from Monday to
Friday 13:00-16:00. Barnes shook my hand firmly and looked deep into what felt
like my soul and uttered ‘So you the new job shadow student?” I nodded. He then
went on to say “So this is the career you want young lady?” to which I proudly
said “Yes sir” he nodded and looked to the right and uttered firmly “Joe, pull
up the autocue please” Barnes, led me to his anchor seat, all I heard was Lance saying “Andrew, go easy on her”.
At 17 years old, I
read a news bulletin off an autocue for the very first time in my life (off air
of course.) The feeling is indescribable, I don’t know where my confidence came
from, I don’t know where my ‘The Queens Language’ came from but I read that
autocue like my life depended on it.
After I finished reading it, I saw Andrew,
Bhavna and Lance stare at each other wide eyed, I wasn’t quite sure what they
were thinking, but I got up. Andrew walked over to me and said “Young lady, I
want you to go and study Journalism, you have a gift! The way you come alive
while you read that bulletin is commendable,
well done!” I smiled so wide, I thought my cheek bones would break.
Lance and I left the
studio to go back to the newsroom, whilst outside smoking his cigarette, he
turned to me and said ‘Take Andrews advice, his mentored lots of journalism students,
and I don’t think I’ve ever heard him praise a student the way he just did
you.”
I knew then and there
that it’s going to be journalism, come hell or high waters.
It took me a few years to enrol into a University, but in
the mean time I went onto intern at Good hope FM for 1 year, spent 6 months at
Smile FM and then eventually ended up at CTV where I Produced a weekly news show, and eventually went on to
do basic journalism work and anchoring.
For more about my life and the journey I’m on to be a
successful TV broadcaster, you can follow me on social media: @lisaleesolomons
on Instagram, @ lisaleesolomon1 on Twitter and Interest https://za.pinterest.com/
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