"Going to a bigger market, I have respect for every job in the newsroom because I've done it. I'm not saying that I did it well, but I did it."
GS: How long did she stay with you? AT: A couple of days. Then she drove back.
GS: What was your starting salary? AT: $12,000. Therein lies a good indication of how competitive the business is. If I hadn't taken the job they could have sold it the next day to someone else.
GS: What year was this? AT: 1992. My one year masters program cost well over $12,000!
GS: Did you get any other offers? AT: It was the first one I got.
GS: Did any others come through after you took that one? AT: None I followed up on.
GS: Were you glad you took it? AT: Very.
GS: Are you glad now? AT: Yeah.
GS: Did your parents finance your living expenses for the first few months? AT: No, I had been working for the last six months and my expenses were really just hooking up the phone and renting an apartment.
GS: How much was rent? AT: $300 for a one bedroom.
GS: How long did you stay there? AT: A little over a year. I did everything except weather.
GS: You were anchoring as well? AT: You anchor, you report. My dream had always been to do sports. I did sports, I did news, I did producing. I wouldn't begrudge anyone taking a job in the biggest city they could possibly get their first job in, but in looking back, I don't regret at all having taken my first job in a market the size of Sioux City because I was exposed to everything. In some small way I know what each job entails. Going to a bigger market, I have respect for every job in the newsroom because I've done it. I'm not saying that I did it well, but I did it. That just gives you a lot of empathy for what others in your newsroom are going through because at one time you were in that spot.
GS: What were your hours like? AT: I worked Monday through Friday, 9 to 5, 9 to 6, or 7.
SAVE OKA reported for NHK's Tokyo station before coming to Bay-TV. She began her media career as a production assistant.
GS: How did you get to anchor? AT: On a fill-in basis when people were sick or on Christmas or Thanksgiving or vacations.
GS: Why did you want to do sports? AT: I've always loved sports. It was always what I wanted to do. Before I was interested in TV I thought maybe I wanted to go into sports public relations. I interned with the Dodgers in high school.
GS: What did you do there? AT: Their fan club newsletter for the little kids.
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