MLB Network Associate Producer Alexander Moore credits the experience he gained on industry-standard equipment at Ohio University and WOUB for his success
When Alexander Moore came to Athens, he was already a junior in college. He transferred to Ohio University because of the school’s strong journalism program and the fact that he could gain hands-on media experience at WOUB.
“I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona playing and watching sports on television,” said Moore. “When high school ended, my dad suggested that one way I could stay involved in sports was to become a sports journalist. He grew up in Toledo, Ohio and knew about Ohio University’s journalism school and told me I should look into it.”
Moore visited campus and knew he wanted to become a Bobcat. But he had to work on his grades first so that he could be admitted to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. So, Moore went to a small school in Arizona for the first two years and then transferred to Ohio University.
“I got involved at WOUB my first week on campus,” said Moore. “I started working on WOUB’s high school football program, Gridiron Glory. Originally, I thought I wanted to be in front of the camera, but at WOUB, I started out behind the scenes as a photographer, and I realized that was really fun.”
Moore gained interest in the production side and worked his way up to become the assistant director for WOUB’s high school basketball program, Hardwood Heroes. He also worked in front of the camera, reporting and anchoring for WOUB’s nightly half-hour news program, NewsWatch.
“WOUB had great professional staff members who would help you no matter what,” said Moore. “Atish Baidya (Now WOUB News Editor-in-Chief) never made me feel like I asked a dumb question. He would answer with a smile. If I asked for review of my work, he was always willing to give of his time, and he didn’t sugar coat it. He always told me what I needed to hear to grow as a journalist and media professional.”
After graduation, Moore pursued his dream of being a play-by-play sports announcer working at small radio stations, collegiate league baseball teams and colleges before deciding to move behind-the-scenes.
“I realized that producing would allow me to move to a bigger market more quickly,” said Moore. “I didn’t want to keep moving from small town to small town.”
Moore works in New York City now as an associate producer for the MLB/NHL Network.
“I work in the graphics department and am a graphics producer for the MLB Apple TV Friday night broadcast,” said Moore. “During the off-season, I work on studio shows.”
Moore said the industry-standard equipment and real-world experience he got working at WOUB truly set him up for success.
“Without my WOUB experience, I would have been lost,” said Moore. “WOUB had the latest equipment and software. When I started jobs, no one had to teach me anything because I had already used it all before. WOUB made sure we were using what the professionals were using and that’s what we learned on.”
Being able to work at WOUB and start using equipment right away is something Moore calls “invaluable.”
“There is tremendous value in the real-world learning that WOUB provides,” said Moore. “Other schools don’t let students touch a camera until their junior year. WOUB’s hands-on experience can’t be matched. My advice to current students is to get into WOUB and keep your nose to the grindstone. Be a WOUB media rat. They are always going to give you something to do and learn if you ask for it.”
About WOUB Public Media
As a member station of both NPR and PBS, WOUB Public Media is a trusted source of news, local content and educational resources that have proven to be worthy of the time, effort and support of our users. WOUB, an experiential-learning unit of the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University, is a non-profit, community-supported multimedia organization which provides online and broadcast services, along with non-broadcast educational services and student professional development. WOUB serves 55 counties throughout southeastern Ohio, western West Virginia and eastern Kentucky with its broadcast signals. WOUB Radio’s FM Network has transmitters in Athens, Chillicothe, Ironton, Zanesville and Cambridge, while WOUB AM serves the immediate Athens area. WOUB TV is made up of seven television channels (WOUB HD, WOUB Classic, WOUB World, WOUB Create, WOUB Ohio, WOUB Kids and WOUB Voicecorps Reading Service) which are broadcast from two transmitters.
Through its support of public service, teaching, research and administrative missions, along with its high-quality local content and programming, WOUB enriches, enhances and expands the lives and horizons of the people in the communities it serves, as well as Ohio University faculty, staff and students.