Cassandra Esparza Villarreal

• Created and developed original trending news and talker segments to air daily on KCAL News Mornings at 6, 7, 8, and 9 am. • Conduct extensive research to identify, monitor & pitch news and consumer trends, popular culture topics and trending social content with potential to captivate audience's interest and generate conversation among anchors. • Source visual elements for stories including in-house video, editorial photos, user-generated content & social media posts. • Independently edit video content on non-linear editor ensuring optimal sound and footage selection, resizing elements, adding appropriate movement and visual effects, and adjusting audio levels. • Provide clear and detailed directions to each show’s directors, anchors & producers regarding the vision and requirements of each segment; Conduct daily debriefing sessions to review and correct any mistakes, issues, or areas for improvement. • Write editorially strong and concise scripts, teases and lower-third chyrons that provide viewers with essential story information, match visual elements, and highlight thought-provoking facts to stimulate conversation.

• Produce 5 & 6 p.m. weekend newscasts by creating rundown in Dalet, selecting stories, writing newscast and timing in the booth. • Communicate with anchors, guests, reporters and control room about traffic, timing and rundown changes during live broadcasts.

• Produce breaking news coverage in ‘90 Second Updates’ format every half hour; Pitch, book and line produce live guest segments.

• Oversee and support a team of student anchors, reporters and production crew for a live 30-minute streaming news broadcast.

• Produce multi-cam interviews, operate audio, write scripts for and edit award-winning digital video stories. • Pitch, report, write and code features, profiles, daily news, and political stories for Annenberg Media’s website.

• Build graphics and rundowns, gather stills and update elements in iNews and DALi for planned and breaking news events. • Find, clip, restore and transfer archived video for use on NBC News Special Reports, news packages and breaking news. • Conduct research and write sections of briefing books, including packets for Lester Holt for the 2021 Impeachment trial.

• Write copy for 15+ daily social media posts to promote content for NBC News, MSNBC and other verticals; Break down long-form stories into 'X' threads. • Create engaging social content from live programs including for 2020 election coverage and special reports using Wildmoka.

• Pitch, produce & write stories and segments including human-interest features, profiles, celebrity interviews, demos and discussions. • Record Zoom interviews, assist producers with editing scripts; Research and write anchor questions for live and recorded interviews.

• Source visual elements and help write for news packages; Assist with interview questions, highlight notes from field interviews.

•Pitch, produce, and publish up to three entertainment news and e-commerce articles, features, and galleries daily. •Assist the photo team in gathering, editing, and publishing images for distribution on E!’s websites. •Coordinate and conduct interviews with celebrities for exclusive content. •Obtain approval from E!’s legal and PR departments to publish articles featuring the network’s talent and shows.

•Research, gather, and clear visual elements, social elements, and sound for breaking news stories and feature segments. •Find, pre-interview, and book guests for segments; arrange for their transport to and from the interview location. •Assist producers during shoots on and off-site, crashes, and award shows; conduct MOS interviews on the field. •Log and transcribe footage for spots using Avid Interplay Assist, highlight important material, and assist during edit.

• Write scripts for news segments and videos and develop effective professional communication skills between directors, producers and other interns. • Attend weekly news division meetings to discuss previous and upcoming content • Produce, film, and edit videos for all social media platforms to promote events and feature students on campus

•Facilitate the transition of new students into the university through an introduction of campus and American culture • Assist in problem-solving and performing administrative tasks, planning events, and creating presentations • Communicate with the orientation team and students to maintain the program in the schedule, provide helpful information, and promote the program on the university’s social media.

• Handle front desk responsibilities such as taking calls, responding to emails, organizing the office, and creating documents and spread sheets on Microsoft software. • Greet and help clients and guide them through the process of fulfilling their request, such as booking a location on campus for their desired event. • Attend team meetings in order to go over standard procedures and learn about changes and improvements to incorporate in the office.

Recipient of: KCBS Graduate Broadcast Scholarship for Women Tom R. Sparks Memorial Scholarship Virginia Middleton Endowed Scholarship