A native of La Crosse, Wisconsin whose voice is sure to catch your attention is this week’s campus celebrity. Don’t let his snapbacks and comfy clothes fool you. When he’s not working diligently on campus finishing up his broadcasting degree, this Logan High School alumnus can be found playing your favorite jams on 95.7 The Rock. Nick Ragner began working at WKBT News 8 as a Floor Crew Member a year ago and is now featured on air for the sports segment. Needless to say he can clean up and indefinitely rock a suit and tie when the opportunity arises.
Hometown: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Birthday: February 5
Class Year: Senior
Major: Communication Studies- Broadcast and Digital Media
Minor: Sports Broadcasting
Favorite part about UW-La Crosse: The people. The campus. The atmosphere. It’s not a big university so it not only gives you the opportunity to get to know your professors, but you also get to know the students on campus as well.
When did you first decide you wanted to pursue a career in broadcasting? When I realized I couldn’t be a professional athlete. What better way than to report on the athletes if you couldn’t be one!
What is your dream job? I was never a person that could pinpoint a “dream career”. As long as I can support a family and live comfortably, that’s a “dream career” to me.
Who is your biggest role model and inspiration in the broadcasting industry? Kyle Deckelbaum and Adam Dvorak. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with both of them at both the television and radio stations respectively. They’ve both taught me everything I know about the industry. I couldn’t thank them enough for what they’ve done.
What has been one of your most influential experiences thus far in broadcasting? We did a story on a high school football player in the area. His father tragically passed away a year ago and he was willing to come on camera and talk to us about finding inspiration in playing football to help him overcome his hard time. The story that interview ended up turning into was probably one of the most inspirational things I’ve ever had the chance to see. It made me realize that there was a lot more to the job that just being on air and reporting news.
What is your most favorite and least favorite part about broadcasting? My favorite part of broadcasting is getting out in the community and being able to share my experiences with others. The on-air stuff is just a bonus. My least favorite part of broadcasting would have to be the hours. You never have a set schedule. Everything changes day-to-day. But if you have the right lifestyle, the scheduling isn’t as much as a problem as it is an adjustment.
What do you feel is the most challenging aspect of this career path? Hard work and determination. Nothing comes easy in broadcasting and you really need to not only put in the hard work and also prove to others that you are worth the time.
When did you begin working at 95.7 The Rock? What is your most memorable experience with this position? I started working on air for The Rock just over a year ago. The best experience I have there is working with the community. They are all about trying to connect with their listeners and working to be more than just another radio station. Any experience where we get to give back to our listeners I would have to say is memorable.
When did you first start working at WKBT News 8 as a Floor Crew Member? What were your thoughts and feelings the very first time you anchored the sports segment? I started working floor crew also just about over a year ago. From there, I worked my way up and eventually got the chance to be on-air. While being on-air and wearing a suit is cool, the work leading up to the broadcast is where the elbow grease comes into play. Not only do you need to put together a show that makes sense, but you need to put together a show that will capture an audience. To say I had butterflies the first time I was on air is an understatement.
If you could broadcast any event, which would you choose and why? I would have to say calling a Brewers game. Listening to Bob Uecker is what got me wanting to make a career out of this.
What advice would you give to an incoming college student wishing to pursue a degree in broadcasting? Get experience early. And when you have the opportunity to learn more, take it. I can’t stress how important it is to leave your comfort zone and surpass what’s expected of you. In broadcasting, the worst thing you can do is not try.
What are your plans after college? Just like most college students, finding a job. The experience I’m getting now is helping me in finding one once I graduate. To any student, whether it is through an internship or an hourly job, try to find real life experience before graduating. Nothing looks better than a degree with the experience you need in your field when presenting yourself to a future employer. That’s the most important thing I’ve learned leading up to my graduation.
Best of luck to Nick with his future endeavors, we’ll be keeping an eye out for you on TV!