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To say the news business has changed in the last 30 to 40 years is an understatement. Too often, sensational leads and slick production win out over substantial content and quality reporting. But sometimes you come across a newsperson that hustles for a story, not just to say they were the first to break the news, but because its information the station\u2019s listeners need to hear \u2026 a person who takes community commitment to heart.<\/p>\n
Deborah Pearson, news anchor and reporter at WOOF in Dothan, Alabama, is that kind of newsperson – which is why the Alabama Broadcasters Association chose to induct her into the Association\u2019s Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think in radio you are a servant of the community and that you should just try to give back in any way,\u201d says Pearson. \u201cI know that’s why I was always doing something community-service wise. I see that as an extension of my job \u2026 wanting to tell the stories of people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pearson has gone over and above what is expected from a news anchor or reporter so that she can make a real difference in Dothan. She\u2019s become a mentor to so many young people in the community \u2026 not just in a professional sense but also as a coach and guide about life in general.<\/p>\n
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I was a part of an organization that mentored young men of distinction … African-American young men,\u201d she explains. \u201cThey were high school juniors and seniors, and I really, really worked hard to raise scholarship dollars that we used for them to go off to school. My son was in the program when he was in high school,\u201d she adds proudly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe taught them about money and finances \u2026 about learning to vote \u2026 things of that nature that would help them build their life and career.\u201c<\/p>\n
Being a woman \u2026 and a woman of color \u2026 presented extra challenges for Pearson to overcome in her career, but when asked to elaborate, she chose to present her experience in a positive light.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI did face some adversities when I first came to WOOF in the early nineties,\u201d she explains. \u201cBut when you\u2019re on the radio people don’t see what you look like. So they automatically assumed I was Caucasian and then they\u2019d be surprised when I started going to community events and press conferences. That\u2019s part of the mystery of radio and I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pearson has a funny story about what happened when a listener assumed she was white.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got invited to a Klan meeting one year! I know the lady had no idea that she had invited a black woman and Miss Agnes said that I absolutely could not go. But it was funny because I was able to get all the information about when and where the meeting was to take place. I called the sheriff and I asked him, \u2018Are you aware that there is a Klan rally planning to take place in Cottonwood on Saturday?\u2019 And they were able to contact the Alabama State Troopers who showed up at the rally!\u201d<\/p>\n
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It was a simple twist of fate that actually brought Pearson into the radio business. \u201cWhen I was in high school, I used to read the newspaper like I was a television anchor,\u201d laughs Pearson. \u201cBut when I got into college I weighed less than 100 pounds. I knew carrying around heavy television equipment was not for me. So I went into radio because a radio recorder versus the camera and battery packs! Well, I\u2019ve been in love with radio ever since!\u201d<\/p>\n
And the radio business loves Pearson. Receiving an award is nothing new. Her mantle must be laden with shiny plaques and trophies. \u201cI got my first award and then they kept coming and kept counting, I’m like, oh my God, Lord, you have put me in a place that you really wanted me to be,\u201d she smiles. \u201cYes. This ABA induction validates all of the hard work that I have done in the past 30 plus years. So it has all come to fruition and has just proven that I’ve been a pretty good journalist.\u201d she says – preachin\u2019 to the choir.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
To say the news business has changed in the last 30 to 40 years is an understatement. Too often, sensational leads and slick production win out over substantial content and quality reporting. But sometimes you come across a newsperson that hustles for a story, not just to say they were the first to break the … Continue reading Deborah Pearson<\/span>