WKBT-TV multimedia journalist Allyson Fergot is the WBA Young Professional of the Month for the month of October.
The WBA Young Professional of the Month is a nominee for the WBA Young Professional of the Year Award. The award seeks to recognize young broadcasters who have made a significant impact on their stations and communities. A subcommittee of the WBA Board of Directors will select the Young Professional of the Year, who will be recognized at the 2025 WBA Summer Conference on June 18 in La Crosse.
Allyson was nominated by WKBT-TV News Director Jason Walker who wrote of Allyson, “Allyson has only been in the news business a short while, but in that time she has exemplified everything good about our industry. She cares about journalism first and she’s willing to do the work. She shows up on the hard days, demonstrates humility and delivers good work day after day.”
“She’s tackled difficult stories and offers to help others and in only a short while, she’s emerged as a leader,” he wrote.
Allyson was also a member of the question panel for the WBA U.S. Senate debate that aired Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. on member stations throughout Wisconsin.
Nominate a YP of the Month here.
Here’s more about Allyson:
Company: WKBT News 8 Now in La Crosse, WI
Position: Multimedia Journalist
Years at station: I started at WKBT in June 2023 as a producer after graduating from UW-Madison’s J-School.
Started in broadcasting (year): 2023
1) How did you get into broadcasting?
During my time at UW-Madison, I took some journalism classes that had a huge impact on me. In one class, I did a long-form story about prairie restoration in La Crosse, my hometown. After speaking to the community members who are working on restoration and spreading awareness about its importance, I knew I wanted to work in local news and highlight the incredible work everyday people are doing. This led me to begin my career as a producer at my hometown station. After a few months of producing, I transitioned to reporting. Although I enjoyed my time as a producer, I knew I wanted to be the one going out in my community, talking to my neighbors, and writing stories about the issues that impact the Coulee Region. I started reporting at the end of December 2023 and haven’t looked back.
2) How do you view the role of young professionals in broadcasting?
Young professionals are the people that will keep our industry evolving. I think young professionals are crucial as broadcasting continues to expand in the digital space. Young journalists know how other young people use social media and the internet, helping our industry meet audiences where they’re at. Additionally, us young professionals bring a new perspective to storytelling. Not only do we learn from our fellow journalists who’ve been in the industry longer than us, but we can also encourage our newsrooms to consider new angles when creating stories. Right now, young journalists have an excellent opportunity to be a resource in the newsroom. I think it’s important that young professionals know how helpful they can be in making sure local news is reaching and connecting with the intended audiences.
3) What advice would you give to other young broadcasters?
As someone who hasn’t been in this field incredibly long, the importance of showing up every day ready to learn has been engrained in me. There’s an opportunity with every story to learn something new, whether it’s understanding how the city’s common council works or how to use a new effect in your video editing. The ability to adapt to changing plans and roll with the punches also goes a long way. Rarely will stories go exactly as you imagined, but having a good handle on the story beforehand will help you immensely. Things like knowing who else to go to if your first source doesn’t work out will give you a huge advantage. Lastly, always give your best effort. That might look different day to day, but you’ll always feel proud of what you accomplished if you know you tried your best.
4) What does the future of broadcasting look like to you?
With the rise of AI and misinformation, well-informed journalists are more important than ever. Although there’s a lot of talk about distrusting the media, I think people have confidence in their local news. It’s important as local journalists that we take that role seriously and continue to be a trustworthy and educational source. In terms of viewers’ needs, news stations are already adapting to meet audiences where they’re at. There are still ways for us to expand in those digital spaces, and I’m excited to see how newsrooms continue to evolve to keep up.
