KMOX reporter Michael Calhoun visited with Junior Journalists at the ECHO journalism camp on July 15. Each team then wrote stories about the visit.
Calhoun advises campers to be curious
Counselors Ashli Wagner and Caroline Fellows
Campers Kolby Cunningham, Chloe Conrad, Ellie Sterbenz, Isabella Stewart and Shea
Michael Calhoun shared his experiences and advice with the ECHO Junior Journalists campers July 15.
“Always be curious and ask a lot of questions,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun began his career in high school making video documentaries. He graduated from Parkway West and attended Mizzou and received an undergraduate degree from Lindenwood University. He originally wanted to go into television, but when he received opportunity with KMOX, he switched to radio.
He attends a variety of events from World Series games to One Direction concerts. Sometimes events aren’t planned, and he has to rush to the scene of the news. Modern technology allows him to record and edit on an iPad and phone without the bulky studio equipment.
He enjoys tech stories and stories about inventors.
About some of his more memorable stories, Calhoun said, “The Cardinals came back with this heroic win” about the Game six 2001 World Series game, and Calhoun also really enjoyed interviewing parents outside the One Direction concert.
Calhoun shares experiences with campers
Campers Julia Fowler, Ivy Clark, Isabella Dyson, Sloane Carfeild, Ben Pires and Marshall Hoover
Counselors Jack Killeen and Deandre Scott
Michael Calhoun is a radio reporter, who works for KMOX. He started working for them in 2006. He has interviewed many people and has done many different reports.
Born in Saint Louis, Calhoun started getting interested in video and radio reports by writing and directing documentaries in middle school and high school. Calhoun went to Parkway West for high school, and for college he went to Mizzou.
He plays the violin, and he volunteers as an instructor for the Red Cross.
Calhoun has won many awards. He won the Radio version of the Emmy, the Edward R. Murrow Award. He spent time with the National Guard during Hurricane Gustav. He also did a radio interview after the tornado hit the airport. Calhoun also reported during the sixth game in the World Series, but one of his favorite radio reports was when he went to Ferguson after the shooting of Michael Brown. When we asked him about keeping safe, he said, “My main priority is to make sure that I am safe.”
Other things Calhoun has reported include a One Direction concert. Calhoun wasn’t allowed inside, so, he went up and down streets, looking for something to report about. He stumbled upon some parents of One Direction fans. They were sitting on the sidewalk, trying to ignore the music and screaming from inside the dome, where the concert was being held. He asked the father what some of his favorite songs were, but he didn’t know the names, so he started singing “That’s What Makes you Beautiful.”
Calhoun goes into work, Monday and Tuesday, at 5 a.m., and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday, at 5 p.m. Sometimes, he has to go in randomly. “Sometimes news doesn’t happen like it’s supposed to happen,” he said.
“Always keep curious and always ask questions” is what Calhoun’s advice was to the campers.
Calhoun tells about job, challenges
Campers Sky Mueller, Sarah Pires, Natalie Harhausen, Christian Brennan and Hadley Hoskins
Counselors Gracie Hedenberg and Aerin Johnson
Michael Calhoun, a reporter for KMOX, has worked on a variety of subjects for his job, reporting on everything from baseball games to riots.
During his career, Calhoun has worked on documentaries, videos and on the radio, but he says he likes radio because it’s not as easy as some of the other forms of journalism. Originally he wanted to do television broadcasts, but he found opportunities at KMOX. Calhoun said that his job is also difficult because he can be relaxing at home, but at any moment, if something pops up, he could be called in to work.
“Always be curious; always ask questions,” said Calhoun. In high school, he made documentaries and competed in contests. He used his high school’s editing materials to make his videos.
Calhoun’s reports always have some challenges. At a One Direction concert, where he was unable to get in to see the show, he noticed that many of the parents were sitting outside and dropping their children off.
He also covered the Ferguson protests and riots and watched as police used tear gas to break up the riots.
“I’m here to find out what happened and not to decide who’s good or bad or right or wrong,” said Calhoun.
Michael Calhoun talks to campers
Campers Audrey Turley, Olivia van Hoornbeek, Julia Mossinghoff and Jackson Bacilek
Counselors Riley Mulgardt and Jake Collins
Michael Calhoun, a worker for KMOX (a local radio station), came and talked to ECHO journalism campers about his job on July 15.
Calhoun broadcasts popular events in the Saint Louis area, such as 2009 All-Star game, 2011 World Series, the events in Ferguson and even boyband concerts like One Direction.
Calhoun talked about his experiences at KMOX, “Radio is not just radio anymore.” Then he gave examples of taking video for a brewery story and taking photos.
His parents encouraged him to keep doing what he is doing, “I owe it all to my parents… they helped me from middle school, all the way to my job at KMOX.”
His advice to the campers was to “Be curious and ask a lot of questions.” He encouraged the campers too. “Things happened when you least expect it… keep asking questions.”
Camper Olivia van Hoornbeek said, “I liked what his job was. I liked what he did and how he got right into the story… even when it was hard to find.”
Other campers talked about Calhoun’s visit.
“I enjoyed when he showed us some of the stuff that he had broadcasted… his advice was really good,” camper Audrey Turley said.
“I thought that it was cool when he talked about how quickly things can turn around and how the people who stay are rewarded,” camper Julia Mossinghoff said.
“I thought that it was funny when we listened to the dad singing One Direction… it was good reporting,” camper Jackson Bacilek said.
