Interview with Susan Barnett
"Don't take no for an answer," said Susan Barnett, CBS 3 Eyewitness News Morning Co-Anchor. "Keep knocking on doors and don't get discouraged. In this business, you get points for being aggressive." As a journalist for CBS for the last six and a half years, Barnett still loves what she does. Smiling and eager, Barnett says her love for the industry came from growing up in a house that was full of news all the time. She always assumed that her profession would be in the news field.
"News was always on in my house. I was surrounded by information all the time" she said.
Barnett attended Harry S. Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania. She graduated from the University of Delaware in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. She also had a very valuable internship experience.
Barnett interned at WPVI, where she worked in the newsroom, manned the assignment desk, made phone calls and tended to the beat calls. Barnett also worked weekends with reporters following them around and learning her craft.
"Internships are vital to students," said Barnett. "I'm very impressed with the knowledge that interns have today. Today's students are really sharp."
As a journalist, Barnett's day begins about 4:00 am. Her day starts with makeup and hair, then meetings with the executive producer reviewing scripts. After the morning show is over, Barnett also does the cut-in's for the morning show newsbreaks.
Sometimes she will be working on stories for the week or the next day and she will shoot assignments for special features. She is currently working on a feature called "Our Hometown" which highlights attractions through out the Delaware Valley which most people don't normally visit.
Barnett has had her share of positives and negatives in the business. "The positives far outweigh the negatives. I get to learn something new everyday and basically become an expert on the subject. The negatives tend to be moving around a lot from city to city. Overall it's a really great experience."
A turning point in Barnett's career was on September 11th, 2001. Barnett was instantly thrown into the 24-hour coverage. "There was a lot of ad-libbing and quick thinking on your feet. So much was happening so fast". She was watching the event unfold while covering it at the same time.
"We're all human, and it's hard not to be emotional in times like that. We didn't know what was going on. I like most, wanted to duck for cover."
Experiences like that are what make Barnett the seasoned reporter that she is today. Barnett feels that students who are interested in the field should gain as much experience as they can through internships.
"Knowledge and experience are everything," said Barnett. "Internships can make all the difference".
