Former TV anchor and reporter Lydia Lenker urges Media Masters crowd to enjoy professional journey

Former TV anchor and reporter Lydia Lenker urges Media Masters crowd to enjoy professional journey

Former local news anchor Lydia Lenker advised Lipscomb communication and journalism students to “enjoy the journey” while chasing life’s opportunities during the school year’s inaugural installment in the Media Masters Series. That series, hosted by the Department of Communication and Journalism, brings media professionals to campus to offer insight to students as they ponder their futures. As a part of the advice she offered students, Lenker urged them to call and reach out to people to get their names out there, elevate their profiles. “This town is so full of media opportunities. Make the first move, share information, and build trust,” she said. She reminded students to be aware of — and careful with — their social media presence. “Employers go right to social media to see what you are all about,” she said. “Be really aware of your virtual footprint.” Lenker brought tons of experience to the appearance. After Lenker graduated from Temple University, she worked in numerous roles behind the scenes in TV production, as well as some on-air radio positions. Eventually, Lenker worked her way up to her dream position of a reporter/anchor at NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, where she won an Emmy for “Best Weekend Newscast” in the Southeast region. She also was known among the news media, locally, for her strong reporting about the state Legislature and the governor. That pretty much set the stage for the non-broadcast part of her career.  After her 16-year stint as a reporter and anchor with NewsChannel 5, Lenker became the press secretary for Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen during his initial campaign and continued in that role through...
Blackburn, Lee emerge with Election Day victories as Republicans sweep Tennessee

Blackburn, Lee emerge with Election Day victories as Republicans sweep Tennessee

Republicans swept Tennessee’s major races Tuesday, capping a contentious midterm campaign season with a victory. Marsha Blackburn (R) will become the state’s first female senator after being declared the winner over Phil Bredesen (D), the former two-term governor of Tennessee. Blackburn campaigned on her support of President Trump, immigration restriction and tax cuts. It was the most expensive Senate race in history. “Thank you for believing in me, and for hearing our message, and for giving me your vote, and for allowing me to be the first woman ever elected to the Senate from Tennessee,” Blackburn said. “Just imagine this, it is a conservative woman to boot!” In his concession speech, Bredesen encouraged young voters to “stay engaged and never, ever, ever give up.” Bill Lee was voted Tennessee’s next governor, handily defeating Democratic nominee and former Nashville mayor Karl Dean. The Franklin business owner focused on rural issues, such as expanding broadband access to rural communities. “Tennessee can not only be a place that leads in this region, but Tennessee can be a place that leads in America,” Lee said in his victory speech. “I believe all Tennesseans have more that unites us than divides us.” Dean served as Nashville’s mayor from 2007 to 2015 and was facing an uphill battle as a Democratic candidate in a traditionally red state. “I’m too old to cry and it hurts too much to laugh,” Dean said in his concession speech. “Tennesseans have made a great choice for our next governor,” current governor Bill Haslam said in a statement. “Bill Lee is a man with strong character and love for our...

Pulitzer winner Jon Meacham joins newest installment of “now that you ask…”

Pulitzer Prize winner and former Newsweek editor-in-chief Jon Meacham sat down with Tom Ingram in the newest installment of the now that you ask… series to discuss his life so far as a journalist, author and historian. The crowd Thursday night totaled to be the largest crowd out of all the people that have had a conversation with Ingram. Meacham told several jokes about why many people would come to hear him, but his real explanation was that people are more interested in his career subject (history) than himself. “I think we are in a golden age of biography, and I think a lot of people are hungry to see what happened in the past and what solutions that might offer, which is why they are interest in what I do,” Meacham said. Meacham went on to talk about why he moved to Nashville, “for the grass and dogs.” After living in New York for 20 years, Meacham and his family decided to make the change when his son told him one Friday afternoon that there was nothing to do. “I’ve spent more time than expected doing the Jackson book here in Nashville,” Meacham said. “We moved a year and half ago and haven’t had a bad day.” Meacham talked about his family background. He came from three generations of layers and grew up listening to politicians’ stories, which sparked his interest in history. Meacham has written five books, with his most recent Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power being named a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. Meacham’s approach to his books is figuring out how to keep his readers interested throughout the book. “The competition for...

Tennessee joins national chorus by electing Republicans

On a night during which many voters expressed disapproval for the Obama administration and the Democrats, Tennessee became one of many states from around the country to elect a Republican governor.  And voters in the Volunteer State didn’t have to wait long to find out all the pre-election prognostications were correct: By 7:28 p.m. the Associated Press declared Bill Haslam the winner. Republican Haslam, mayor of Knoxville, and Democrat Mike McWherter, a Jackson businessman and the son of former Gov. Ned McWherter, sought to succeed outgoing Gov. Phil Bredesen. With nearly half of the precincts having reported, Haslam controlled about 70 percent of the vote. During his victory speech Haslam — who had spent a part of the evening chairing the Knoxville City Council, one of his mayoral duties — expressed excitement about the tasks at hand. “I am looking forward to working with Gov. Bredesen–we are starting as early as (Wednesday),” Haslam said. “It is my duty to make certain that Tennessee continues to move forward. While it’s time to celebrate the victory, we must not forget that we face some major social issues.” It also appears that Tennessee has approved a constitutional guarantee to hunt and fish. Much like what other Southern states have done — South Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas — Tennessee will now have the right to hunt and fish implanted into the state’s constitution. While it does not change the law, it prevents from hunting and fishing from being outlawed without changing the constitution. Several participants from COMMA volunteered at the News Channel 4 studios Tuesday night. The COMMA students (members of the Communication Majors and Minors Association) answered phone calls from all around the state to...