On The Set With The NBC 6 News Anchors

BY RACHEL HAAS

Ever since I can remember I’ve wanted to be a television reporter, so when my dad arranged a visit to the set of NBC 6 News I was super excited. Entering the doors of the studio felt like entering a golden city, although it was clearly just another day at work for NBC 6 news anchors Jackie Nespral and Adam Kuperstein.

In her orange dress, dark brown bobbed hairstyle, nude colored heels and perfectly accented pearl necklace, Nespral entered the room and she was just as gorgeous in person as on television. She instantly embraced us and kissed our cheeks in a Hispanic welcome. We walked down the hallway and exchanged laughs as she introduced us to producers, editors and the rest of the nightly news staff. I felt honored to be in the presence of everyone I met.

Then, Nespral brought us over to hair and makeup. I asked her how she knew that she wanted to become a broadcast journalist. She told me a story from her childhood about a time she was at Calle-Ocho and a man asked her if she could interview one person who would it be. She said she would interview Barbara Walters because Walters has interviewed everyone she’s always wanted to interview. From then on it just clicked.

I asked Nespral what obstacles she has faced in her career. Being one of the first hispanic women to be a news anchor, Nespral said she was called all sorts of names because people weren’t used to seeing a hispanic woman anchor the news.

“The initial barriers were so difficult, but I just had to work harder to prove myself,” Nespral said.

As an aspiring journalist myself, I asked Nespral if she had any advice for me. She gave me tips on how to make my interviews flow and how to ask the right questions.

“You can’t rely on your dream, you have to put your heart into your work,” Nespral said.

I was so engrossed in our conversation that I almost didn’t notice Kuperstein enter the room. As I turned around, I saw a six-foot handsome man dressed in a black suit with a perfectly centered orange tie to match Nespral’s dress. As Kuperstein introduced himself to me, I was in awe. Before I knew it, it was show time. The news anchors quickly applied their last touch of make-up and headed to the news desk. I was invited to sit and watch the show on the side of the set. I waited patiently for the news to start, watching them gather their scripts and attach their microphones.

Being a VIP behind the scenes gave me a better idea of what the “real world” of broadcasting was like. The set consisted of five cameras, a steady cam, twenty-one flat screens in addition to the eighteen screens that formed the live shot of South Beach in the background.

After the 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock news shows, I had a chance to sit down and talk with Kuperstein at the news desk. I asked him what his favorite thing about his job was.

“People will stop me and tell me how they felt safe listening to me during a hurricane,” Kuperstein said. “Being able to affect so many people in a positive way is what makes my job worth it.”

After spending four hours at the station I didn’t want to leave. As I said my goodbyes, Nespral and Kuperstein gave me many souvenirs. My experience watching them at the NBC 6 news studio far surpassed what I had envisioned it would be. The experience only inspired me to learn more about broadcast journalism, the profession that I someday hope to pursue.