#MediaMonday – Denise Naughton
Anyone who has done PR here in town over the past five years knows Denise Naughton. As the queen of producing for Sonoran Living on ABC15, not a day passes when she isn’t working with at least a dozen communications folks.
And now, you can work with her in a totally new way as she moves to a new show – The List – also on ABC 15.
Get to know her a little better below!
What do you want to tell the blogosphere about yourself today?
It’s been decades, but I can still hear my mother yelling at me from the kitchen; ‘Denise! Get out from in front of the TV and do your homework!’ Little did either one of us know at the time my obsession with the box in the corner of the living room would turn into a lifelong passion.
Despite the warning signs of hours spent in front of the TV, a career in the business wasn’t exactly on the radar growing up in a rural Missouri town of 2,000 people. Yet, somehow like everything else in my life, I seem to have fallen into the most perfectly suited job, in the most unlikely manner.
It all started in college, when my advisor told me I couldn’t take any more classes until I declared a major. I remember thinking ‘Crap! Why didn’t I think of this sooner? What am I going to do?’ as if I didn’t have two years to prepare for the inevitable.
I’d like to think she sensed my inherent procrastination, inquisitive nature, and love of people when she suggested I give Journalism a try, but to this day I have no idea why she said it, although I’m certainly glad she did.
Since that fateful day, I have held many positions in broadcasting; most I’m almost ashamed to admit have fallen into my lap. While I subscribe to the theory that if you relax and let things happen the right opportunities come your way, I also believe those chances were put in front of me because someone recognized the long hours, hard work and determination I put in to get where I am today.
To me this job is about many things, embracing change, telling stories, learning, problem solving, creativity, daily challenges and the thrill of chasing a deadline; all of which feed my soul.
It is my passion but it is not for the faint of heart; at times the job has overtaken my life, and at others it has saved it. After a personal tragedy 4 years ago, my tv family was right by my side, patiently supporting me professionally and personally every day until I had the strength to get through it on my own.
I am so grateful for everything this job has given me over the years. It has been an amazing ride, full of unbelievable experiences, and fabulous people. I now look at the world, life, and the job very differently, but at the end of the day I can’t imagine doing anything else.
