PHOENIX -- Meredith Corporation (NYSE:MDP), KPHO CBS 5 and The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University describe their inaugural nationwide fellowship program for minority broadcast journalism students as a success for both the participants and the organizers of the program.

“The students got hands-on, professional experience, and we had the opportunity to preview talented students for possible work at our 14 broadcast stations,” said Paul Karpowicz, president of Meredith’s Broadcast Group.

Twelve top minority broadcast journalism students from colleges across the country spent last week working with instructors from the Cronkite School and KPHO managers and staff.

The participants were chosen from a pool of applicants who submitted a resume, tape and references for evaluation in October. Students chosen to participate received a stipend to cover travel, lodging and meal expenses.

“I couldn't believe it when I got the phone call and heard I was one of only twelve in the country to be chosen. Being from Mississippi and having the chance to get hands-on experience in a big market is really a priceless opportunity,” said Hubert Tate, a Jackson State University student participating in the fellowship.

Students had the opportunity to learn from KPHO news professionals on topics such as how to create compelling live shots, produce strong newscasts, find and develop great stories, learn newsroom ethics, and become a newsroom leader.

In addition to the group sessions, participants culminated the week by creating a 30-minute newscast that was taped on the last day of the fellowship.

Students were assigned their duties based on the interests they have – those with an interest in reporting found stories, researched them, shot them, and edited them. Students who aspire to be producers wrote and produced the broadcast under deadline pressure as well.

"In class you do a lot of role playing. This experience gave us a taste of what really happens in a live broadcast situation," said Sade Malloy, a student at Arizona State University.

"My photographer gave me so much more individualized instruction than I've ever had in class. I even got to go on a breaking news story. It was great to be in the middle of it,” said Sarah Ralston, a student at Arizona State University.

“We had two goals for our first fellowship program – to provide students with a newsroom experience with real-world deadlines and to give students access to working news professionals,” said Steve Hammel, KPHO Vice-President and General Manager. “Going through this program should give our students an edge when they compete for their first job.”

The Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University is a nationally recognized professional program that prepares students for careers as reporters, editors, producers, and anchors. The school’s dean, Chris Callahan, says their participation in the fellowship program was very fulfilling.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with how the fellowship went,” Callahan said. “The students left on Saturday with a real world understanding of how a newsroom works and what it takes to get a job in broadcast journalism. We are proud to work with Meredith Corporation and KPHO to educate these students and to hopefully bring more minority talent into the business.”

Meredith Corporation, KPHO CBS 5 and the Cronkite School plan to make the fellowship a yearly event. The call for applicants for next year’s program will begin in the spring.

About Meredith Corporation

Meredith Corporation (www.meredith.com) is one of the nation's leading media and marketing companies with core competencies in magazine and book publishing, television broadcasting, integrated marketing and interactive media. Meredith owns 14 television stations that reach nearly 10 percent of television households across the country. Meredith’s Broadcasting assets include: WGCL-TV (CBS), Atlanta; KPHO-TV (CBS), Phoenix, AZ; KPTV (FOX) and KPDX-TV (UPN), Portland, OR; WFSB-TV (CBS), Hartford-New Haven, CT; WSMV-TV (NBC), Nashville, TN; KCTV (CBS) and KSMO (WB), Kansas City, MO; WHNS-TV (FOX), Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC-Asheville, NC; WNEM-TV (CBS), Flint-Saginaw, MI; KVVU-TV (FOX), Las Vegas, NV; WFLI-TV (WB), Chattanooga, TN; WSHM, (CBS) Springfield, MA; KFXO-CA (FOX), Bend, OR; and radio station WNEM-AM in Saginaw-Bay City, MI.