From gazing at the glamorous career of an associate producer on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, to locking eyes with a real-life producer on a field trip to a television station in eighth grade, Laura Trendle Polus knew from an early age she would one day pursue television news.
Trendle Polus earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Illinois State University, where she spent two years preparing scripts on typewriters, pushing carts, and carrying milk crates of videotapes across campus for the 6 p.m. TV-10 newscasts.
“The 6 o’clock news was definitely much more serious in those days. Honestly, it was just dry and boring with a rotation of experts talking. They didn’t keep the soundbites to eight seconds, and sometimes they’d be a minute each,” recalled Trendle Polus. “And that’s kind of more how news was at that point for everybody. It was slower. There was a lot less to cover too. The world was different.”
As ISU’s current TV-10 news director and a broadcast journalism instructor, Trendle Polus moved the live television newscast to noon where it now focuses on local angles—even when covering national events.
“It’s all local. If we’re talking about the Nashville shooting, we’re talking to local people and getting the local reaction about it and that’s just a change in perspective and policy, I guess,” said Trendle Polus. “But I’ve been very happy with that.”
The School of Communication set her career up for success, as well as former TV-10 news director Jay Groves.
“Huge, huge influence,” said Trendle Polus. “He had good connections and got me a part-time job my junior year and a full-time job right after graduation. He’s just a great man. A very smart, very funny man, and a good friend now.”
The future knocked on her door after transitioning from WMBD-TV in Peoria, Illinois to WISN-TV in Milwaukee. In her role as a newscast producer, Trendle Polus and her team were the first to cover the arrest of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
“I liked what that did for me in my earlier days of teaching because it was a hook to get students in and interested,” said Trendle Polus. “It probably also helped me appear more legitimate in their eyes. Everyone knows the name Jeffrey Dahmer.”
“I learned so many lessons from that first big break. For example, the importance of those random calls that really annoy you in the middle of the night—but might have gold in them. Additionally, I learned you should listen to people, pay attention to the treatment of different races and different sexual orientations,” said Trendle Polus. “I don’t know what I would ever cover that would be more than that.”
Despite experiencing a pivotal moment in her broadcast journalism career, Trendle Polus struggled with preparing scripts before the deadline hit at WMBD-TV and how to collaborate with others at WISN-TV.
“I was not a good time manager in my first producing job, and I would not have my scripts ready on time,” said Trendle Polus. “Now, I’m a real stickler and I’m probably always bugging people about deadlines. It’s great that I wanted to write the perfect words for a story, but you have to have that big picture.”
Trendle Polus’ experience in the newsroom and connections with the Illinois News Broadcasters Association benefit her students.
“We have endless workshops, sessions, and conventions, and so I’ve heard so many good guest speakers over the years,” said Trendle Polus. “I’ve had panel discussions with police officers or people affected by news coverage and even scientists. We have such a huge variety of things that it always helps, and its good connections. A lot of my students have gotten jobs because of those connections, too.”
Although Trendle Polus worries about losing bright students due to the lack of respect and low pay journalists receive, she continues to provide a path for her students to thrive in their future careers with TV-10 News.
“I feel some pride about that because not only did they have the opportunity to direct real live things, but they also understand working in a partnership because of the work in the control room,” said Trendle Polus. “To see them be successful is great. Our students can do anything in TV when they get out of here.”
